Article

Rehabilitation care and physical exercise are known to constitute an effective
treatment for chronic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) at the
intermittent claudication (IC) stage. Improvements in functional capacities and
quality of life have been reported in the literature. We decided to assess the
effects of hospital-based exercise training on muscle strength and endurance for
the ankle plantar and dorsal flexors in this pathology. PATIENTS AND
This prospective study included 31 subjects with chronic peripheral arterial
occlusive disease (PAOD) and IC who followed a 4-week rehabilitation program
featuring walking sessions, selective muscle strengthening, general physical
exercise and therapeutic patient education. An isokinetic assessment of ankle
plantar and dorsal flexors strength was conducted on the first and last days of
the program. We also studied the concentric contractions at the angular velocity
of 30 degrees /s and 120 degrees /s for muscle strength and at 180 degrees /s for
muscle fatigue. We also measured the walking distance for each patient. RESULTS:
Walking distance improved by 246%. At baseline, the isokinetic assessment
revealed severe muscle weakness (mainly of the plantar flexors). The only
isokinetic parameter that improved during the rehabilitation program was the peak
torque for plantar flexors at 120 degrees /s. CONCLUSION: All patients presented
with severe weakness and fatigability of the ankle plantar and dorsal flexors.
Our program dramatically improved walking distance but not muscle strength and
endurance.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS ; FRANCAIS