Effects of contrast baths on skin blood flow on the dorsal and plantar foot in people with type 2 diabetes and age-matched controls.

Contrast baths have been used for therapy for over 2,000 years. The basic concept is to alternate warm and cool water baths during a treatment session. It is believed that this will increase circulation better than just placing the limb in a warm water bath.

Isometric endurance, body and skin temperature and limb and skin blood flow during the menstrual cycle.

Background: Limb blood flow and skin and deep tissue temperature change during the menstrual cycle. However, the impact of these changes on isometric exercise performance has not been investigated.

Material/methods: Isometric endurance was assessed at contraction tensions of 20, 40 and 60% of the maximal voluntary contraction strength (MVC) of the handgrip muscles in 8 women every other day throughout their menstrual cycles (MC).

The influence of alterations in room temperature on skin blood flow during contrast baths in patients with diabetes.

Background: Contrast baths (CB) have been used for over two thousand years. But it only was recently that CB were shown to improve limb circulation to a greater extent than that which can be seen after continuous exposure to a warm, constant temperature, bath. However, other studies show that this type of response to temperature can be impaired if the sympathetic nervous system applies vasoconstriction to the blood vessels.

Cardiovascular responses and endurance during isometric exercise in patients with Type 2 diabetes compared to control subjects.

Background: While it is well documented that diabetes impairs the microcirculation, its effect on isometric exercise has not been determined.

Material/methods: Isometric strength and endurance of the handgrip muscles for a series of 2 fatiguing isometric contractions at a tension of 40% of the maximum strength were assessed in 10 subjects with Type 2 diabetes compared to 10 control subjects; 5 minutes were allowed between the contractions. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), blood flow (BF) of the whole arm and of the skin on the chest and foot were measured.

Effects of electrical stimulation on skin blood flow in controls and in and around stage III and IV wounds in hairy and non hairy skin.

Background: While wounds heal more quickly when electrical stimulation (ES) is applied, few studies have examined blood flow (BF) in and around wounds during ES in controls with no wounds compared to wounds in diabetic and non diabetic subjects.

Material/methods: Ten subjects with stage III and IV wounds and 8 controls were subjected to 5 minutes of biphasic ES (20 milliamps, pulse width 250 usec). Before, during, and after, BF were measured by a Laser Doppler Imager.