[Experiences with the application of physiotherapy in peripheral arterial circulatory disorders of the lower extremities (stage I and IIa) under ambulatory conditions]

Abstract

In a comparative study the authors report on results of series of physical therapy in disturbances of the peripheral arterial blood supply. Examined were the behaviour of blood pressure, the painless walking distance and the peripheral microcirculation with the xenon-133-muscle clearance method before and after treatments lasting 10 to 12 weeks with combined exercises consisting of gymnastics and walking according to the interval principle (twice a week), with sauna visits twice a week as well as before and after diadynamic series of the current. In all therapy groups an improvement of the peripheral haemodynamics could be statistically ascertained. The distance of the intermittent claudication prolonged particularly in the group with interval walking. In the walking group and in the sauna group the values of the systolic blood pressure were significantly reduced. Side-effects were not observed. Therapy effects of the series of physical therapy described are best to be proved by the xenon-133 muscle clearance.