Stair Descending vs. Stair Ascending Exercise

Heart Failure Clinical Trial

Official title: The Effect of Stair Descending and Stair Ascending Exercise on Muscle Strength and Performance: the SmartEscalator Device

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The aim of the present project is to compare the acute and chronic effect of stair descending versus stair ascending exercise on muscle damage and performance in elderly males with chronic heart failure.

Clinical Trial Description

Study design:

Twelve elderly males with chronic heart failure, New York Heart Association class I-II, will participate in this study. Participants will be allocated into two equally-sized groups: a stair descending group (n = 6) and a stair ascending group (n = 6). At the beginning of the study, the volunteers will perform an acute bout of stair descending or stair ascending exercise on an automatic escalator (4 sets of 3 min each, speed will be set at 45 steps∙min-1). Step height will be 20.5 mm. Before and at day 2 post exercise, physiologic measurements will be performed and blood samples will be collected. Then, participants will carry out six weeks of stair descending or ascending training consisting of three exercise sessions per week (the first two weeks the speed will be set at 45 steps∙min-1, the next two weeks at 50 steps∙min-1 and the last two weeks at 55 steps∙min-1 for both groups). Afterward, they will repeat the acute stair descending or ascending protocol, as carried out at the beginning of the study, and the same physiologic measurements will be performed and blood samples will be collected.

Measurements:

Isometric (at 90 knee flexion), concentric and eccentric peak torque at 60o∙s-1of quadriceps femoris, pain-free range of motion, delayed onset muscle soreness and creatine kinase will be measured. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aging
• Heart Failure
• Sarcopenia

• NCT number: NCT01673958
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: European University Cyprus
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: February 2012
• Completion date: April 2012