The Effect of Stretching Exercises on Vascular Function, Blood Flow, and Walking Function in Middle and Older Adults

This study examines the relationship between circulation and walking speed after performing 8-week stretching exercises.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Stretch
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: stretching exercises

Detailed Description

This study examines the relationship between circulations and walking speeds. Most studies in the field of stretching exercises have only focused on improvements of endothelial functions in younger population; however, I aim to emphasize its effects on different populations, such as people with frailty, low physical activity level, weakness and postoperative status. Previous research has established that stretching exercises can improve walking function by modulations of musculoskeletal or neuromuscular system. The importance and originality of this study are that it explores the relationship between circulation and walking speed. Due to the inability to extrapolate outcomes; short-term effect of improved blood vessel function; the unclear mechanism of stretching exercises; and considering the different physical fitness groups, I design a home-based, low-dose, and anatomic chain-based stretching exercises to verify the possible mechanism and effects.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 48
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Mei-Wun Tsai, Ph.D; Phone Number: +886+2+28267939; Email: tmwk@ym.edu.tw

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taipei, Taiwan, 112
    • Recruiting
    • National Yang Ming University
    • Contact: Mei-Wun Tsai, Ph.D
    • Contact: Liang-Ying Lai
    • Principal Investigator: Liang-Ying Lai

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. age between 20-85 years old
2. Follow instructions
3. Walk with/without assistive technology

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unstable acute or chronic health conditions
2. Peripheral vascular diseases
3. Non-musculoskeletal problems that would limit stretching exercises
4. Participate in other exercise programs

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Stretching exercises; Interventions are home-based stretching exercises. The experimental group will receive 6 stretching exercises which stretch 20-30 seconds, relax for 10 seconds, and repeat 5 times for each side. It will take 25-30 minutes every day for continuous 8 weeks.	Other: stretching exercises; Our interventions are home-based stretching exercises. The experimental group will receive 6 stretching exercises which stretch 20-30 seconds, relax for 10 seconds, and repeat 5 times for each side. It will take 25-30 minutes every day for continuous 8 weeks. Those include stretching of the deep front line, spiral line, superficial front line, lateral line, superficial back line, and plantar flexors. Designed concepts are the following three: 1) based on ''Anatomy- Train'' theory, 2) emphasize on movements of trunk and pelvis, and 3) stress on the stretching of lower extremities.
No Intervention: Control group; Maintain their daily activity level in the 8 weeks. We use the study desigh-''waiting list control'' in this group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
vascular functions-Stiffness index(1)	(Stiffness index, SI，unit：m/s)	pre-intervention(1st week)
vascular functions-Stiffness index(2)	(Stiffness index, SI，unit：m/s)	during intervention(4th week)
vascular functions-Stiffness index(3)	(Stiffness index, SI，unit：m/s)	post-intervention(8th week)
vascular functions-Reflective index(1)	(Reflective index, RI，unit：％)	pre-intervention(1st week)
vascular functions-Reflective index(2)	(Reflective index, RI，unit：％)	during intervention(4th week)
vascular functions-Reflective index(3)	(Reflective index, RI，unit：％)	post-intervention(8th week)
vascular functions-Vascular age	(Vascular age, VA，unit：year-old)	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-peak-systolic velocity(1)	（peak-systolic velocity, PSV)	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-peak-systolic velocity(2)	（peak-systolic velocity, PSV）	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-peak-systolic velocity(3)	（peak-systolic velocity, PSV）	post-intervention(8th week)
Ultrasound parameters-end-diastolic velocity(1)	（end-diastolic velocity, EDV）	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-end-diastolic velocity(2)	（end-diastolic velocity, EDV）	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-end-diastolic velocity(3)	（end-diastolic velocity, EDV）	post-intervention(8th week)
Ultrasound parameters-mean velocity(1)	（mean velocity, mV）	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-mean velocity(2)	（mean velocity, mV）	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-mean velocity(3)	（mean velocity, mV）	post-intervention(8th week)
Ultrasound parameters-mean volume flow(1)	(mean volume flow, vFl)	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-mean volume flow(2)	(mean volume flow, vFl)	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-mean volume flow(3)	(mean volume flow, vFl)	post-intervention(8th week)
Ultrasound parameters-resistance index(1)	(resistance index, RI)	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-resistance index(2)	(resistance index, RI)	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-resistance index(3)	(resistance index, RI)	post-intervention(8th week)
Ultrasound parameters-pulsatility index(1)	(pulsatility index, PI)	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-pulsatility index(2)	(pulsatility index, PI)	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-pulsatility index(3)	(pulsatility index, PI)	post-intervention(8th week)
Ultrasound parameters-diameter(1)	（diameter, D）	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-diameter(2)	（diameter, D）	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-diameter(3)	（diameter, D）	post-intervention(8th week)
Ultrasound parameters-area(1)	（area, A）	pre-intervention(1st week)
Ultrasound parameters-area(2)	（area, A）	during intervention(4th week)
Ultrasound parameters-area(3)	（area, A）	post-intervention(8th week)
walking speed-preferred(1)	Timed 10-Meter Walk Test (preferred)	pre-intervention(1st week)
walking speed-preferred(2)	Timed 10-Meter Walk Test (preferred)	during intervention(4th week)
walking speed-preferred(3)	Timed 10-Meter Walk Test (preferred)	post-intervention(8th week)
walking speed-fast(1)	Timed 10-Meter Walk Test (fast)	pre-intervention(1st week)
walking speed-fast(2)	Timed 10-Meter Walk Test (fast)	during intervention(4th week)
walking speed-fast(3)	Timed 10-Meter Walk Test (fast)	post-intervention(8th week)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
body composition-height	height(cm)	pre-intervention(1st week)
body composition-weight	weight(kg)	pre-intervention(1st week)
body composition-waist circumference	waist circumference(cm)	pre-intervention(1st week)
vital sign-blood pressure(1)	blood pressure(mmHg)	pre-intervention(1st week)
vital sign-blood pressure(2)	blood pressure(mmHg)	during intervention(4th week)
vital sign-blood pressure(3)	blood pressure(mmHg)	post-intervention(8th week)
vital sign-heart rate(1)	heart rate(bpm)	pre-intervention(1st week)
vital sign-heart rate(2)	heart rate(bpm)	during intervention(4th week)
vital sign-heart rate(3)	heart rate(bpm)	post-intervention(8th week)
flexibility-chair sit and reach test (1)	chair sit and reach test (cm)	pre-intervention(1st week)
flexibility-chair sit and reach test (2)	chair sit and reach test (cm)	during intervention(4th week)
flexibility-chair sit and reach test (3)	chair sit and reach test (cm)	post-intervention(8th week)
grip strength	hand dynamometer	pre-intervention(1st week)
cognitive function	Montreal Cognitive Assessment.Minimum value is 0 and maximum value is 30, and higher scores mean a better outcome	pre-intervention(1st week)
frailty	SOF (Study of Osteoporotic Fractures). Minimum value is 0 and maximum value is 3, and higher scores mean a worse outcome	pre-intervention(1st week)
basic data	gender, age, education, living status, smoking, and exercise habits	pre-intervention(1st week)
ACSM-PAR-Q+	The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone AND follow-up questions about their medical conditions (PAR-Q+) is used to identify whether subjects are at risk in engaging in exercises. Thus, researchers can prescribe individual exercise prescriptions.	pre-intervention(1st week)
IPAQ	International Physical Activity Questionnaire to investigate their physical activity levels. Higher the amount of physical activity (min-METs/week) means a more active life-style(physical activity level).	pre-intervention(1st week)
fitness	(Duke activity status index, DASI) Minimum value is 0 and maximum value is 58.2, and higher scores mean a better physical activity level.	pre-intervention(1st week)
adherence of exercise	usage records from the Line app	post-intervention(8th week)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Yang Ming University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Liang-Ying Lai, National Yang Ming University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2020
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): June 30, 2021
• Study Completion (Anticipated): June 30, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 26, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 29, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): May 4, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 4, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 29, 2021
• Last Verified: April 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: vascular function; fitness; blood flow; walking function; stretching exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: YM109100E

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No