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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Nov 4;22(21):8509.
doi: 10.3390/s22218509.

The Effect of Active Stretching Training in Patients with Chronic Venous Insufficiency Monitored by Raster-Stereography

Erica Menegatti  1 , Simona Mandini  2 , Anselmo Pagani  3 , Beatrice Mandini  2 , Valentina Zerbini  2 , Tommaso Piva  2 , Andrea Raisi  2 , Marinella Fabbri  2 , Marco Fogli  2 , Gianni Mazzoni  2 , Paolo Zamboni  3 , Sergio Gianesini  3   4
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effect of Active Stretching Training in Patients with Chronic Venous Insufficiency Monitored by Raster-Stereography

Erica Menegatti et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

(1) Background: Musculoskeletal disorders can be associated with advanced clinical stages of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of active stretching (AS) training on lower limb venous function and quality of life in patients affected by CVI. (2) Methods: A prospective two-armed pilot randomized controlled was conducted. Twenty (20) CVI patients were randomly assigned to an AS training or to a control group (C) who did not receive any exercise indication. At baseline and after three months all the participants were tested for leg volumetry (LV), air plethysmography (APG), and quality of life (QoL) measured by a disease specific validated questionnaire (VVSymQ), ankle range of motion (ROM), and postural deformities using an optoelectronic body posture machine. (3) Results: At the end of the training in the AS group a significant leg volume reduction was detected (from 2340 ± 239 mL to 2239 ± 237 mL (4.3%); p < 0.0001), whereas in the C group no significant volume changes were found. The ejection fraction rate (EF%) increased significantly from 49.3 ± 9.3 to 61.1 ± 14.5, p < 0.005. A moderate-strong linear correlation with EF% and ankle ROM variation was found (R2 = 0.6790; p < 0.0034). Several postural outcomes such as pelvic tilt, pelvic torsion, and lordotic angle significantly improved in the AS group (p < 0.01, p < 0.04, p < 0.01 respectively). (4) Conclusion: The AS training impacts on the APG parameters related to the musculoskeletal pump efficiency, opening a further possibility in the management of CVI patients by means of an appropriate adapted physical exercise program.

Keywords: chronic venous disease; exercise therapy; gait; oedema; posture; raster-stereography.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of active stretching exercise protocol (the letters(A–X) are referred to each exercise reported in Table 1).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flow diagram of the progress through the study phases according to the CONSORT 2010 statement.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Leg volume significant reduction after three months follow-up in AS group (white histogram), while no significant changes in leg volume were recorded in the control group (dotted grey histogram).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Correlation between ankle ROM and EF% variations in the AS exercise group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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