Supervised Exercise Training May Improve Postural Control in Patients with Symptomatic Lower Extremity Peripheral...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) is linked to balance disorders and falls, impacting daily function.
• Postural control is crucial for mobility, yet its improvement via supervised exercise training (SET) in PAD patients is understudied.
• Understanding the effects of SET on balance is vital for enhancing functional outcomes in PAD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a 3-month multimodal supervised exercise training (SET) program on postural control in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD).
• To assess changes in traditional posturographic measures and stabilogram-diffusion analysis (SDA) parameters following SET.
• To evaluate the effects of SET on pain-free (PFWD) and maximal (MWD) walking distances in PAD patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 44 patients with symptomatic PAD (mean age 65.2 years) underwent a 3-month multimodal SET program.
• Postural control was assessed using a posturographic platform, measuring center of pressure (COP) trajectory and SDA parameters before and after SET.
• Treadmill pain-free (PFWD) and maximal (MWD) walking distances were also evaluated pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Supervised exercise training (SET) significantly increased the length of center of pressure displacement (LFS), a measure of postural control accuracy (p=0.042).
• No significant changes were observed in other traditional postural control parameters.
• Both pain-free walking distance (PFWD) and maximal walking distance (MWD) showed significant improvements after the SET program (p ≤ 0.001 for both).

Conclusions:

• The 3-month supervised exercise training (SET) program enhanced postural control accuracy, as indicated by the increased LFS, in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD).
• SET also led to substantial improvements in walking distances, suggesting benefits for functional mobility.
• These findings highlight the potential of SET as a therapeutic intervention for improving both balance and walking capacity in PAD patients.