Low Intensity Physical Activity Leads to Improvement in Brachial-ankle Pulse Wave Velocity of Hemiplegics (LIPA)

Gunma PAZ College

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Physical Activity; Motor Activity; Hemiplegia

Treatments: Behavioral: stretch exercise and usual activity; Behavioral: Daily low intensity physical activity by the half squat

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01569386

UMIN000007598

Details and patient eligibility

About

Low intensity physical activity by half squat of the elderly people with hemiplegia significantly slow down the pulse wave velocity of the arteries of the lower limbs of the paralyzed side within 8 weeks.

Full description

Measurement of aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a noninvasive method for assessing arterial stiffening in atherosclerosis. In hemiplegics, disuse of the affected limb is associated with the muscle wasting leading to development of local atherosclerosis. The brachial-ankle aortic PWV (baPWV) is an indicator of early stage disuse syndrome, and is measured with a device that is particularly useful in elderly hemiplegics.

The LIPA regime was designed to result in an increase of 3.3% (about 40 kcal/day) of daily energy consumption compared to their individual baseline values. This included aerobic exercises and half squats (70° knee flexion) for altogether about 20 minutes, once daily. In addition, the subjects performed passive ankle dorsiflexion-plantar flexion, 30 times/minute for 10 min, once daily. The LIPA was aimed at affecting the passive range of motion in ankle, knee, and hip, and weight bearing on the affected leg in standing position.

Enrollment: 54 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 65 to 90 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age above 65 years
• male
• hemiplegic
• onset of stroke within 5 years
• some of them required walking aid indoors
• all of them required a walking aid outdoors

Exclusion criteria

• severe functional limitations that precluded any increase in PA
• presence of associated cardiovascular conditions such as uncontrolled hypertension or angina
• presence of undiagnosed or untreated health conditions that manifested as abnormal findings in laboratory test and contraindicated exercise tests

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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54 participants in 2 patient groups

low intensity physical activity

Experimental group

Description:

Daily low intensity physical activity by the half squat

Treatment:

Behavioral: Daily low intensity physical activity by the half squat

stretch exercise and usual activity

Active Comparator group

Description:

They do whole body stretch exercise for 20 minute in a day

Treatment:

Behavioral: stretch exercise and usual activity