Análise da ativação e desempenho muscular de membros inferiores em indivíduos com insuficiência venosa crônica durante teste de elevação do calcanhar

Abstract

Background: Failure of calf muscle pump function is considered a major cause of venous insufficiency (CVI) and prolonged venous hypertension leads to weakening of the calf muscles. The evaluation can be done from different forms, from a heel lift test (TEC). Currently, several protocols have been developed for an ECT test in different populations, without a very detailed standardization. Objectives: Firstly to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility of intra-r inter-raters in healthy adults, from two different protocols with different stimuli: self-paced (TECAC) and externally cadenced (TECEC); secondarily, to evaluate the performance and electrical activity of lower limb muscles during an TECEC in subjects with CVI compared with healthy paired subjects. Methods: Two studies were performed and both were of the observational type, with a transversal character. For Study 1, two TECAC and TECEC protocols were performed on healthy young subjects. For Study 2, subjects with ages between 35 and 65 years old were recruited, with a clinical diagnosis of CVI to perform TECEC associated with Surface Electromyography (EMGs). Results: In study 1, 33 healthy subjects were recruited (16H), aged 23.03 years (± 2.71). We observed that the TECEC obtained a better result both in terms of performance (53.01 elevations) and relative inter-rater reproducibility (ICC = 0.77) and the TECEC obtained better intra-rater reproducibility (ICC = 0, 69). It was observed that at the end of both tests there was an increase in fatigue symptoms (p <0.01); (P = 0.76) and decreased performance in the TECEC when compared to T1, T2 and T3 (p <0.01). In Study 2, 44 subjects with CVI were recruited, of whom 17 met all inclusion criteria and composed the sample of Group IVC versus 17 healthy subjects matched for age, sex and BMI who composed the Control Group. There was a significant difference in the intergroup comparison of the TECEC performance (p <0.01) and also in the intergroup comparison of the time spent to perform the TECEC (p <0.05). The flexure in the right lower limb was significantly lower (p <0.05) in Group IVC. For evaluation of electrical activity, the TECEC was divided into four moments (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). In the evaluation of the muscular electrical activity during the TECEC, significant differences were found in the moments 50% and 75% (p <0.05) of the right anterior tibial muscle and moments 25% and 50% (p <0.05) of the muscle Anterior tibialis. Conclusion: Our results from Study 1 demonstrate that both (self-paced and externally paced) ECT can be used to provide muscle performance results. The TECEC potentially determines a greater and more intense muscular activity and the TECAC demonstrated better reproducibility and greater agreement, when evaluated the performance in the three moments. Regarding Study 2, it is possible to observe that individuals with CVI present inferior performance in the TECEC compared to healthy subjects, with lower muscular electrical activity in the anterior tibial bilaterally already in the initial stages of the disease.