A Comparison of the Effects of Electrical Calf Muscle Stimulation and the Venous Foot Pump on Venous Blood Flow in the Lower Leg

The pattern of popliteal blood flow following electrical calf muscle stimulation and activation of the venous foot pump were studied using duplex ultrasound scanning in volunteers. The increase in velocity was of a similar magnitude for both methods, but the pattern was different, suggesting that the venous foot pump may not empty the soleal venous sinuses. Dynamic venography confirmed this hypothesis.

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THE EFFECTS OF ELECTRICAL CALF MUSCLE STIMULATION AND VOLUNTARY EXERCISE ON VENOUS BLOOD FLOW 994

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1097/00005768-199705001-00993 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement) ◽

pp. 174 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P. D. Faghri ◽

J. Votto ◽

C. F. Hovorka

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Calf Muscle ◽

Voluntary Exercise ◽

Muscle Stimulation ◽

Venous Blood Flow

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The Effect of Electrical Stimulation of the Calf Muscle and Compression Stocking on Venous Blood Flow Velocity

European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery ◽

10.1053/ejvs.2002.1652 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 23 (6) ◽

pp. 564-566 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

G.M. Lyons ◽

G.E. Leane ◽

P.A. Grace

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Flow Velocity ◽

Blood Flow Velocity ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Calf Muscle ◽

Compression Stocking ◽

Venous Blood Flow ◽

Stimulation Of

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The use of ultrasound in the evaluation of the efficacy of calf muscle pump function in primary chronic venous disease

Phlebology The Journal of Venous Disease ◽

10.1177/0268355512471757 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 247-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

R S S Crisóstomo ◽

M S Candeias ◽

P A S Armada-Da-Siva

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Calf Muscle ◽

Chronic Venous Disease ◽

Venous Disease ◽

Venous Blood Flow ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Fascicle Length ◽

Muscle Fascicle ◽

Calf Muscles

Objectives To evaluate popliteal vein blood flow during calf muscle contraction in chronic venous disease (CVD) patients and healthy controls using ultrasound imaging and to investigate the relationship between venous blood flow and gastrocnemius muscle (GM) morphology. Methods Thirty-one subjects participated in this study (mean age: 40.3 [11.8] years), 15 healthy controls and 16 with CVD (clinical classification: C1–4). Popliteal vein cross-sectional area and venous blood flow velocity (FV) were evaluated by Doppler ultrasound at baseline and during three sets of 10 tip-toe movement repetitions. Muscle thickness, muscle fascicle length and pennation angle of both medial and lateral GM were measured by ultrasound. Measures were repeated a week later in 17 participants in order to assess reproducibility with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. Results Peak FV was lower in CDV group compared with Control group for both first (40.6 [11.8] versus 62.4 (22.1) cm2/second; P = 0.021) and last (30.4 [9.1] versus 49.5 (22.7) cm2/second; P = 0.024) contraction. In CVD group, peak FV during first contraction increased with GM's muscle fascicle length ( r = 0.63; P = 0.041). Popliteal FV also increased with rising range of muscle fascicles pennation change between ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion ( r = 0.70; P = 0.025). No associations were found between haemodynamics and medial or lateral GM thickness. Calf muscular architecture was similar in both CVD and control participants. Test–retest reliability of FV measured in the same session was high (ICC≈0.70) for measures taken in the first contraction of the set but lowered when using the last contraction (ICC <0.50). Reproducibility of ultrasound evaluation of calf pump is acceptable within the same session but is unsatisfactory when testing in separate days. Conclusion Patients with moderate CVD have lower FV during calf muscles contraction but similar muscle anatomical characteristics compared with healthy controls. Changes in calf muscles flexibility and fatigue resistance may be investigated as possible causes of calf pump dysfunction.

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Use of electrical muscle stimulation body massager (EMS-BMs) improves deep venous blood flow

Medical Engineering & Physics ◽

10.1016/j.medengphy.2021.05.009 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mayuko Sakai ◽

Tomohisa Otsuka ◽

Kosuke Sugimura ◽

Yoshiyuki Nishizawa ◽

Ai Nagai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Muscle Stimulation ◽

Venous Blood Flow ◽

Electrical Muscle Stimulation ◽

Electrical Muscle

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Calf exercise in the seated position using a new dynamic biped device increases femoral vein peak velocity up to eight-fold

Phlebology The Journal of Venous Disease ◽

10.1258/026835503321895361 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 70-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M F Caruana ◽

R E Brightwell ◽

E L Huguet ◽

P Whitear ◽

D W Hodgkinson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Flow ◽

Venous Thrombosis ◽

Deep Venous Thrombosis ◽

Flow Velocity ◽

Peak Flow ◽

Femoral Vein ◽

Venous Blood ◽

Calf Muscle ◽

Venous Stasis ◽

Venous Blood Flow

Background and objective: Lower limb deep venous thrombosis is a common condition with a recognized morbidity and mortality. Hitherto known as a complication in hospitalized patients, anecdotal media reports and scientific trials have raised the profile of the same condition in association with air travel. Although probably multifactorial in aetiology, venous stasis is considered an important and correctable risk factor in the pathogenesis of deep venous thrombosis. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of exercising the calf muscle blood pump in increasing venous blood flow using a new dynamic alternating inflatable biped device (Lymgym™, Lymgym Ltd, UK) which has been designed to be used by air passengers. Methods: Doppler ultrasound was used to assess peak flow velocity in the superficial femoral vein in 30 lower limbs of 15 healthy volunteers with no history of venous disease. Measurements of peak flow velocity were taken at rest in the seated 'coach position' and during calf muscle pump exercises with the device. Results: Peak blood flow velocity was eight-fold higher ( P < 0.0001, Wilcoxon signed rank test) during exercise with the device than at rest. Conclusions: These results show that use of the dynamic alternating biped device (Lymgym™) effectively reduces venous stasis when used in the seated position as defined by measurements of peak venous blood flow. These results provide the scientific justification for further studies assessing the value of this device in reducing the risk of travel-related thrombosis.

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