Single limb exercise induces femoral artery remodeling and improves blood flow in the hemiparetic leg poststroke
Billinger SA et al. – Data suggest that a 4-week single limb exercise (SLE) training program that increases muscular activity in the hemiparetic limb improves femoral artery blood flow, diameter, and peak velocity. SLE may be an important training strategy in stroke rehabilitation to minimize poststroke vascular changes due to decreased activity of the hemiparetic limb. Methods- Study of the effect of SLE on femoral artery blood flow, diameter, and peak flow velocity in the hemiparetic leg after stroke
- Subjects: 12 pts (age 60.6±14.5 yrs; 5 male) with chronic stroke (69.1±82.2 mo; 5 with right-sided hemiparesis)
- Intervention: SLE knee extension/flexion protocol 3 times/wk for 4 wks
- Doppler ultrasound to assess bilateral femoral artery blood flow, diameter, and peak flow velocity at baseline and 2 and 4 wks after SLE
Results- Using repeat-measures analysis of variance, femoral artery blood flow, arterial diameter, and blood flow velocity in the hemiparetic limb significantly improved after SLE
- No significant changes in nontrained limb for any outcome measures
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