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Plantar flexion training primes peripheral arterial disease patients for improvements in cardiac function

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Abstract

This study investigated if initial calf muscle training immediately followed by whole body training improved aerobic power and cardiovascular function in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients. The training group (n = 10) pursued 8 weeks of high aerobic intensity plantar flexion interval training continued by 8 weeks of high aerobic intensity treadmill training. The control group (n = 11) received advice according to exercise guidelines. Treadmill VO2peak and time to exhaustion increased significantly with 16.8 and 23.4% during the plantar flexion training period while no changes occurred in heart stroke volume (SV). Following treadmill training, SV increased with 25.1% while treadmill VO2peak and time to exhaustion increased 9.9 and 16.1%. Plantar flexion training was effective for increasing treadmill VO2peak and time to exhaustion in PAD patients and amplified the effects of the additional treadmill training, as SV increased and treadmill VO2peak and time to exhaustion improved further. This study suggests that calf muscle training prime PAD patients for cardiovascular adaptations when applying whole body exercise.

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Acknowledgments

The experiments in the present study comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that no conflict of interest existed in the present study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Jan Helgerud, Eivind Wang, Mats Peder Mosti, Øystein Nordrum Wiggen & Jan Hoff

  2. Hokksund Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Hokksund, Norway

    Jan Helgerud

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway

    Jan Hoff

  4. Olav Kyrres gt. 9, MTFS, 7489, Trondheim, Norway

    Jan Helgerud

Authors
  1. Jan Helgerud
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  2. Eivind Wang
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  3. Mats Peder Mosti
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  4. Øystein Nordrum Wiggen
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  5. Jan Hoff
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Correspondence to Jan Helgerud.

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Helgerud, J., Wang, E., Mosti, M.P. et al. Plantar flexion training primes peripheral arterial disease patients for improvements in cardiac function. Eur J Appl Physiol 106, 207–215 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1011-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1011-z

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