Joanna Szymańska, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Krzysztof Czupryna, Renata Szczepaniak

J. Szymańska, O. Nowotny-Czupryna, K. Czupryna, R. Szczepaniak – Improvement in the quality of life of persons with chronic lower extremity ischaemia after high-tone power therapy. FP 2017; 17(3); 64-73

Abstract

Introduction.The CLEI results in decreased walking ability, which is limiting physical activity due to pain. This is the main factor adversely influencing the quality of life observed in these patients. For these reasons, the most important target of physiotherapists is to reduce physical fitness loss caused by a very low level of physical activity over many years.
The aim of the study was to investigate whether the high-tone power therapy can improve functional abilities patients with CLEI in the gait, and thereby improve their self-assessed quality of life.
Material and methods The study involved 68 patients aged 40-70, who were assigned to one of two groups: the A – main, group and B – control group. Their functional abilities in gait were assessed with the use of the WIQ-Walking Impairment Questionnaire, which evaluated 4 domains: claudication distance, walking speed, claudication capacity, ability to walk steps. A group patients were subjected to a series of high-tone power therapy while in B group all the treatments were simulated.
Results Certain differences were noticed in each domain of the WIQ questionnaire, but significant ones were solely in A group. The most noticeable changes were in pain and cramps of the calf; smaller changes were related to walking distance and speed. The smallest changes were reported in the ability to walk steps. Some changes were also reported in the control group, but they were less conspicuous and only affected some domains of the WIQ questionnaire.
Conclusions The high-tone therapy results in subjective improvement in functional locomotion capacity in all domains of self-assessment of patients. Improving the function of lower extremities is conditioned by the presence of additional factors, which are kind of disorder risk factors.

Key words:
high-tone power (HiToP), quality of life, chronic lower extremity ischemia (CLEI), chronic lower limb ischemia

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