Article

The aim of this study was to determine whether 45 mins of
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation before exercise could delay pain
onset and increase walking distance in peripheral artery disease patients.
DESIGN: After a baseline assessment of the walking velocity that led to pain
after 300 m, 15 peripheral artery disease patients underwent four exercise
sessions in a random order. The patients had a 45-min transcutaneous electrical
nerve stimulation session with different experimental conditions: 80 Hz, 10 Hz,
sham (presence of electrodes without stimulation), or control with no electrodes,
immediately followed by five walking bouts on a treadmill until pain occurred.
The patients were allowed to rest for 10 mins between each bout and had no
feedback concerning the walking distance achieved. RESULTS: Total walking
distance was significantly different between T10, T80, sham, and control (P <
0.0003). No difference was observed between T10 and T80, but T10 was different
from sham and control. Sham, T10, and T80 were all different from control (P <
0.001). There was no difference between each condition for heart rate and blood
pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation immediately
before walking can delay pain onset and increase walking distance in patients
with class II peripheral artery disease, with transcutaneous electrical nerve
stimulation of 10 Hz being the most effective.

Langue : ANGLAIS