Effects of strength training on physical fitness and indicators of quality of life in persons with intermittent claudication

Author(s)

Raphael Mendes Ritti Dias

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP/CIR)
• Defense date: 2008-09-26

Examining board members

Maria de Fatima Nunes Marucci; Cláudia Lúcia de Moraes Forjaz; Sabina Lea Davidson Gotlieb; Sami Liberman; Nelson Wolosker

• Advisor: Maria de Fatima Nunes Marucci
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health
• Indexed in: Banco de Dados Bibliográficos da USP-DEDALUS; Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações - USP
• Location: Universidade de São Paulo. Biblioteca/Centro de Referência e Informação da Faculdade de Saúde Pública; Dr 900

Abstract

Abstract Background: Walking exercise training has been recommended as the main treatment in persons with intermittent claudication (IC). However, walking is performed with pain. Once persons with IC present muscle atrophy and reduced leg strength, strength training programs could be successful in the treatment of these patients. Objective: To verify the effects of strength training on physical fitness and indicators of quality of life in persons with IC. Methods: Forty two subjects were recruited in the Intermittent Claudication Ambulatory of Clinics Hospital of the University of Sao Paulo. The subjects were allocated into three groups: strength training (ST), treadmill training (TT) and control (CO); which performed 12 weeks of exercise training. ST and TT performed supervised exercise, twice a week, in 60-minute sessions. CO performed unsupervised training. Before and after training, the components of physical fitness (fat and lean body mass, muscle mass index, claudication and total walking distances, leg strength, ankle brachial index, ischemic window, arm blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product) and quality of life indicators (general and related with ambulation capacity), were assessed. Analysis of Variance and Analysis of Covariance were used for parametric data; Wilcoxon and Kruskall-Wallis tests were used for non-parametric data, with P<0.05 Results: ST increased claudication (+40.8%) and total walking distances (+25.4%), and strength in the leg with higher and with lower ankle brachial index (+9.5 and +10.5%, respectively). There were a decrease in ischemic window (-46.9%), rest heart rate (-6.5%) and rate pressure product (-15.9%), and submaximal arm blood pressure (-8.1%) and rate pressure product (-9.8%). The changes in physical fitness were similar between ST and TT. There were no changes in the quality of life indicators after ST. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that ST could be used in the treatment of persons with IC, once it can improve the physical fitness in these patients. (AU)