Upper versus lower limb exercise training in patients with intermittent claudication: a systematic review.
Lower extremity (LE) exercise training has been shown to contribute to improvements in Maximum Walking Distance (MWD), Claudication Distance (CD), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and Quality of Life (QoL) in patients with intermittent claudication (IC). However, little is known regarding the efficacy of upper extremity (UE) exercise training in comparison to the widely used LE training. The objective of this systematic literature review is to identify and synthesize the available literature on the effects of UE versus LE exercises using the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) conceptual framework. A total of 6 randomized controlled trials comparing UE to LE exercises were included in this study. Two of the articles were considered to be of high quality using the PEDro grading list. Both UE and LE training groups demonstrated significant improvements in MWD, CD, VO2peak and QoL in comparison to the control group but LE was not better than UE training. This supports the use of UE training as an alternative to LE, which could provide symptomatic relief to patients with IC without the discomfort caused during the LE training.
MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, VU-University Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 9, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Nefeli
N
Tompra
Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, USA.
Carl
C
Foster
Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain.
Fabian
F
Sanchis-Gomar
MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, VU-University Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 9, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jos J
JJ
de Koning
Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain; European University, Madrid, Spain.
Alejandro
A
Lucia
2E Science, Via Monte Grappa, 13, I-27038 Robbio (PV), Italy. Electronic address: enzo.emanuele@2escience.com.
Enzo
E
Emanuele
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000098:blood supply*
Claudication distance; Functional capacity; Maximum walking distance; Peripheral arterial disease