10/26/2018    

RELEVANT RESEARCH

Association of Prescribed Exercise in Addition to Compression With VLU Healing

 

The authors of this study analyzed five randomized clinical trials comprising 190 patients with venous leg ulcers (VLU) to evaluate the association between exercise interventions (used as an adjuvant therapy to compression) and VLU healing. The pooled risk difference for any type of exercise was an additional 14 cases of venous leg ulcers healed per 100 patients at 12-week follow-up (RD, 14%; P=.04). Progressive resistance exercise (heel raises) alone showed a non-significant pooled risk difference; however, this exercise in combination with prescribed aerobic physical activity showed a significant increase in ulcer healing at 12 weeks in one study.

 

The pooled risk difference for a combination of progressive resistance and prescribed physical activity was an additional 27 cases healed per 100 patients at 12 weeks (RD, 27%; P= .004). There may be sufficient evidence now for clinicians to consider recommending simple progressive resistance and aerobic exercises to patients with VLU.

 

Source: Caroline K. Crabtree, MD, Practice Update [10/16/18] via Dr. Allen Jacobs