Abstract
BACKGROUND
Venous leg ulcer (VLU) affects millions of people, and yet there have been no major advances in its treatment for many decades. Is it the time to change our approach, and try a multidisciplinary one that could bring about a change? The aim of this study is to evaluate whether a regular, home-based exercise could be influential in healing the VLU.
METHODS
Eighty subjects (mean age: 65.13 years) were recruited for 12 weeks. The participants were randomized into a control group (N.=20), a compression therapy group (N.=20), an exercise group (N.=20) and a compression and exercise group (N.=20). The exercise comprised of 10 dorsiflexions each hour while the patient was awake. The first 2 groups did not perform any exercise while the other two did. Baseline and 3-month measurements were performed. These measurements include skin perfusion assessment and ulcer size.
RESULTS
All patients showed low tcPO2 in the beginning of the study. At the point of 3 months of exercise, Laser Doppler flowmetry and ulcer size measurements showed significant decrease, P<0.001 in exercise groups, however, no real change was demonstrated in the non-exercise groups. Subjects who were performing exercise showed significant increase in tcPO2 readings after 3 months (P<0.001), whereas the tcPO2 readings remained the same in the non-exercise groups.
CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that exercise had a significant effect on the VLU healing and this effect may be enhanced further with the help of the compression therapy. The tcPO2 and RF measurements may be seen as useful tools in evaluating the microvascular changes, and monitoring healing and follow up of the venous leg ulcer.
TY - JOUR
T1 - The influence of exercise on ulcer healing in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.
AU - Mutlak,Omar,
AU - Aslam,Mohammed,
AU - Standfield,Nigel,
Y1 - 2018/01/25/
PY - 2018/1/26/pubmed
PY - 2018/9/18/medline
PY - 2018/1/26/entrez
SP - 160
EP - 168
JF - International angiology : a journal of the International Union of Angiology
JO - Int Angiol
VL - 37
IS - 2
N2 - BACKGROUND: Venous leg ulcer (VLU) affects millions of people, and yet there have been no major advances in its treatment for many decades. Is it the time to change our approach, and try a multidisciplinary one that could bring about a change? The aim of this study is to evaluate whether a regular, home-based exercise could be influential in healing the VLU. METHODS: Eighty subjects (mean age: 65.13 years) were recruited for 12 weeks. The participants were randomized into a control group (N.=20), a compression therapy group (N.=20), an exercise group (N.=20) and a compression and exercise group (N.=20). The exercise comprised of 10 dorsiflexions each hour while the patient was awake. The first 2 groups did not perform any exercise while the other two did. Baseline and 3-month measurements were performed. These measurements include skin perfusion assessment and ulcer size. RESULTS: All patients showed low tcPO2 in the beginning of the study. At the point of 3 months of exercise, Laser Doppler flowmetry and ulcer size measurements showed significant decrease, P<0.001 in exercise groups, however, no real change was demonstrated in the non-exercise groups. Subjects who were performing exercise showed significant increase in tcPO2 readings after 3 months (P<0.001), whereas the tcPO2 readings remained the same in the non-exercise groups. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that exercise had a significant effect on the VLU healing and this effect may be enhanced further with the help of the compression therapy. The tcPO2 and RF measurements may be seen as useful tools in evaluating the microvascular changes, and monitoring healing and follow up of the venous leg ulcer.
SN - 1827-1839
UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/29368880/full_citation
L2 - https://www.minervamedica.it/index2.t?show=R34Y2018N02A0160
DB - PRIME
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
