Exercise fidelity and progression in a supervised exercise programme for adults with venous leg ulcers

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Wound Healing Research

Background:

• Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are a common chronic condition.
• Exercise is recommended for VLU management, but patient and clinician concerns about safety and efficacy persist.
• A feasibility study is crucial to assess exercise safety, fidelity, and progression before large-scale trials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and feasibility of a supervised exercise program in patients with venous leg ulcers.
• To assess adherence, intensity, and duration targets during exercise sessions.
• To gather preliminary data for a larger study on exercise interventions for VLU healing.

Main Methods:

• A feasibility study involving 18 participants with venous leg ulcers randomized to an exercise group.
• Participants undertook 36 supervised 60-minute exercise sessions over 12 weeks, including aerobic, resistance, and flexibility components.
• Data on session attendance, adverse events, exercise intensity, and duration were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• High overall session attendance rate (79%), with 13 out of 18 participants completing all sessions.
• No in-session adverse events were reported during the exercise program.
• Exercise components largely met moderate-intensity targets (100% aerobic, 91% resistance) and duration goals (81% aerobic, 93% flexibility).

Conclusions:

• Supervised exercise programs incorporating moderate-intensity aerobic, resistance, and flexibility components are safe for patients with venous leg ulcers.
• The findings support the feasibility of implementing structured exercise interventions in VLU management.
• This study provides a foundation for future research investigating the impact of exercise on venous leg ulcer healing.