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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Ultrasound Assessment of Flow-Mediated Dilation of the Brachial and Superficial Femoral Arteries in Rats
Published on: November 3, 2016
Sitting cross-legged for 30 min alters lower limb shear stress pattern but not flow-mediated dilation or arterial
Joshua C Tremblay1,1, Taylor V Stimpson1,1, Kristen M Murray1,1
1Cardiovascular Stress Response Laboratory, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, 28 Division Street, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada.
Abstract:
Prolonged sitting decreases lower limb endothelial function via sustained reductions in mean shear rate. We tested whether 30 min of sitting cross-legged differentially impacts superficial femoral artery shear rate pattern, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and leg pulse-wave velocity (PWV) compared with sitting flat-footed. Sitting cross-legged attenuated the reduction in mean and antegrade shear rate and increased arterial pressure compared with sitting flat-footed. Superficial femoral artery FMD and leg PWV were unaltered following either sitting position.
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