Intermittent calf-muscle electrical stimulation on walking capacity in patients living with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and intermittent claudication

Abstract

A prospective, one-group, pretest-posttest study design was employed on forty participants (n=40) with bilateral limb ischemia (ABPI <0.90), diabetes mellitus and calf muscle claudication. Participants received a fixed program of calf muscle electrical stimulation with varying frequency (I-250Hz) on both ischemic limbs (N=80) for 1 hour per day for 13 weeks. The absolute claudication distance was employed as serial outcome measure to assess maximal walking capacity at baseline and following the intervention. Statistical Significant improvement was registered in mean absolute claudication distance (p= 0.000; Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test) at follow-up relative to baseline.