THE IMPACT OF ELECTROMAGNETIC THERAPY ON PAIN AND HEMODYNAMICS IN PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE

Abstract

Aim: Despite the improvement with rest, lower-limb intermittent claudication is a bothersome issue/symptom in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Utilizing its benefits in increasing vasodilation/angiogenesis in patients with circulatory disorders/issues, adding pulsed electromagnetic therapeutic modality (PEMTM) to exercise rehabilitation of PAD is a newly recommended intervention in managing PAD-induced lower-limb intermittent claudication. This interventional study aimed to check the effects of adding PEMTM to elliptical exercise on vascular hemodynamics, functional outcomes, and quality of life in PAD sufferers.

Methods: PAD older men were assigned randomly into the group of elliptical exercise (n = 20, received only elliptical exercise and by-physician prescribed for-PAD pharmacotherapies) or study group (n = 20, received PEMTM, elliptical exercise, and by-physician prescribed for-PAD pharmacotherapies). The eight-week PEMTM or elliptical exercise was applied 3 times weekly. The following outcomes were evaluated: PAD patients’ ankle brachial index test, diameter of posterior tibial artery, lower-limb claudication pain time, lower-limb claudication pain distance, modified walking-impairment questionnaire, short-form-36 health survey, disease-specific quality-of-life evaluation by the intermittent claudication questionnaire, summation score of short physical performance battery, pain-free six-minute walked distance, and the total six-minute walked distance.

Results: The present paper showed a significant effect of elliptical exercise alone or combined with PEMTM on all measured parameters with a significant superiority to the combined application of elliptical exercise and PEMTM.

Conclusion: Gained hemodynamic and functional benefits of elliptical exercise in PAD elderly could be magnified by adding PEMTM to elliptical exercise.