The Effect of Ischemic Training on Exercise Endurance

The purpose of this study is to determine if reducing blood flow to an exercising muscle during exercise training will enhance the training effect on that muscle in people who have limited exercise because of congestive heart failure

The objective of this study is to determine whether reduction of blood flow during stair-stepping and cycling ergometer leg exercise will contribute to an improvement in whole body exercise capacity or submaximal exercise endurance in patients with mild congestive heart failure. Two groups of 25 patients with mild to moderate CHF, aged 30-70, will be trained for 12 weeks. The experimental group will train with pressure cuffs inflated on one thigh and lower leg during exercise. The cuff will be applied on alternate legs during training, such that each leg has the same duration of ischemic training. The control group will train for a similar duration and intensity without pressure cuffs on the legs. Pre and post training measures will include VO2peak, exercise duration at 30% VO2peak, 6 minute walk test, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire

Exercise duration before and after 12 weeks of training during a submaximal exercise test and distance walked on a 6-minute walk test.

Inclusion Criteria: Mild Congestive Heart Failure Must be able to exercise Exclusion Criteria: Venous or arterial thrombus Lower extremity arthritis Blood clotting abnormalities Claudication Peripheral vascular disease Evidence of deep vein thrombosis on ultrasound

Loeppky JA, Gurney B, Kobayashi Y, Icenogle MV. Effects of ischemic training on leg exercise endurance. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2005 Jul-Aug;42(4):511-22. doi: 10.1682/jrrd.2004.06.0069.