Active and Passive Exercise Training in Improving Vascular Function: Local vs Systemic Vascular Effect.

University of Milan

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Aerobic Exercise; Stretching

Treatments: Other: Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04758754

Active vs passive training

Details and patient eligibility

About

Maintaining an adequate state of vascular function is an important element for the maintenance of cardiovascular well-being. Several training plans involving both active and passive engagement by the muscles have been proposed with the aim of improving vascular function. At local level, i.e., at the level of the arteries that supply the muscles directly involved in training, significant improvements in vascular function have been found. These improvements are more noticeable after active training than with a passive training regimen, such as passive static stretching. On the contrary, at the systemic level the effects of active or passive training are less clear and, above all, it is not evident whether there is a difference in the effects induced at the level of vascular function in arteries supplying muscles not directly involved in training. The aim of the study is to clarify the local and systemic effect of an active training protocol (single leg knee extension, SLKE) and of a passive training protocol (passive static stretching training, PST) applied to the lower limbs lasting 8 weeks on the local (femoral artery) and systemic (brachial artery) vascular function.

Enrollment: 36 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria

• neurological, vascular and musculoskeletal disorders of the lower and upper limbs;
• being on pharmacological therapy related to either neural and/or vascular response, including hormonal contraceptives and oral supplements;
• being a current or former smoker;
• having an irregular menstrual cycle (26 to 35 days) up to 3 months before the beginning of the study;
• contraindications to joint mobilization; regular involvement in a SLKE or PS training programme.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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36 participants in 3 patient groups

Single leg knee extension training (SLKE)

Experimental group

Description:

Active 8-week training involving lower limbs. SLKE participants will be involved in a 8-week aerobic training protocol involving the knee extensor muscles. The training will be held on an Anderson and Saltin ergometer, 3 times per week, with a single session duration of 33.3 min. Total weekly duration: 100 min.

Treatment:

Other: Training

Passive static stretching training (PST)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Passive 8-week training involving lower limbs. PST participants will be involved in a 8-week passive static training training involving the knee extensor muscles. The training will have a frequency of 5 times per week, with a single duration of 20 min. Total weekly duration: 100 min

Treatment:

Other: Training

Control (CTRL)

No Intervention group

Description:

CTRL will not receive any intervention.