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Dynamic muscle quality of the plantar flexors is impaired in claudicant patients with peripheral arterial disease and associated with poorer walking endurance

King, Stephanie; Vanicek, Natalie; O'Brien, Thomas D.

Authors

Thomas D. O'Brien



Abstract

Objective Peripheral arterial disease and intermittent claudication (PAD-IC) negatively affects physical activity and function. There is evidence for plantarflexor muscle dysfunction and weakness; however, the extent to which this dysfunction can be attributed to reduced muscle size or quality, or both, is not yet known. This study investigated whether in vivo plantarflexor muscle quality during static and dynamic contractions is altered by PAD-IC and whether such changes are associated with impaired walking endurance according to initial and absolute claudication distances. Methods The study recruited 22 participants, consisting of 10 healthy controls and 12 claudicant patients with occlusion of the superficial femoral artery (seven unilateral and five bilateral). Muscle quality of the combined gastrocnemius muscles during static contractions was calculated by normalizing the estimated maximal potential muscle force to the physiological cross-sectional area of the lateral and medial gastrocnemius. Muscle quality during dynamic contractions of the combined plantarflexor muscles was calculated as the ratio of peak voluntary concentric plantarflexor power and the summed volume of lateral and medial gastrocnemius. Results Dynamic muscle quality was 24% lower in the claudicating-limb and asymptomatic-limb groups compared with controls (P = .017 and P = .023). The differences were most apparent at the highest contraction velocity (180°/s). Dynamic muscle quality was associated with reduced walking endurance (R = 0.689, P = .006 and R = 0.550, P = .042 for initial and absolute claudication distance, respectively). The claudicating-limb group demonstrated a trend toward reduced static muscle quality compared with controls (22%, P = .084). The relative contribution of the soleus muscle to plantarflexion maximum voluntary contraction was significantly higher in the claudicating-limb and asymptomatic-limb groups than in controls (P = .012 and P = .018). Conclusions The muscle strength of the plantarflexors in those with PAD-IC appears to be impaired at high contraction velocities. This may be explained by some reduction in gastrocnemii muscle quality and a greater reliance on the prominently type I-fibered soleus muscle. The reduced dynamic capability of the plantarflexor muscles was associated with disease severity and walking ability; therefore, efforts to improve plantarflexor power through dynamic exercise intervention are vital to maintain functional performance.

Citation

King, S., Vanicek, N., & O'Brien, T. D. (2015). Dynamic muscle quality of the plantar flexors is impaired in claudicant patients with peripheral arterial disease and associated with poorer walking endurance. Journal of vascular surgery, 62(3), 689-697. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2015.03.039

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 17, 2015
Online Publication Date May 5, 2015
Publication Date 2015-09
Deposit Date Jul 23, 2015
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of vascular surgery
Print ISSN 0741-5214
Electronic ISSN 1097-6809
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 62
Issue 3
Pages 689-697
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2015.03.039
Keywords Dynamic muscle quality; Intermittent claudication
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/376774
Publisher URL http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0741521415003900
Additional Information Author's accepted manuscript of article published in: Journal of vascular surgery, 2015, v.62, issue 3.

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