Weak calf muscles may be behind venous ulcers
17 May 2002
Patients with venous ulcers or previous deep vein thrombosis (DVT) have been advised to do regular exercise, such as walking, to strengthen their calf muscles.
This advice follows research at Perth's Fremantle Hospital which suggested venous ulcers could stem from abnormalities in calf muscles, not just veins, and that exercise could help.
Traditionally it was thought that venous ulcers were due to incompetent veins or DVT, said the hospital's associate professor of surgery Michael Stacey.
But Professor Stacey's research found the calf muscle was weaker in those who had a past history of venous ulcers than controls. However, he said it was not known if ulcers caused the muscle weakness or if the muscle was already weak.
Specific exercises improved calf muscle strength, the research found.
The exercises were simple tip-toe repetitions, with the ball of the foot resting along a phone book, done several times daily for 2 months.
Professor Stacey recommended combination treatment of compression bandages and exercise.
'These observations suggest that both muscle strength and venous reflux may be important in determining whether individuals go on to develop venous ulcers,' he told the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons scientific congress in Adelaide this week.
'It is a bit early to make strong clinical recommendations but we can suggest that it would be beneficial for people with venous ulcers, recurrent ulcers or previous DVT to have regular exercise to strengthen the calf muscles,' he said.
'It is simple and not going to cause any harm. Regular walking, or other exercises which strengthen the calf muscles, are probably as good as our phone-book exercises.'
Future research is aimed at determining if exercise helps ulcers heal or prevents their recurrence.
Last Reviewed: 16 May 2002
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 17/5/02
