Feinberg
Northwestern Medicine | Northwestern University | Faculty Profiles

News Center

  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Releases
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Menu
  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Releases
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Home » Strength Training May Improve Leg Functioning
Uncategorized

Strength Training May Improve Leg Functioning

By medwebDec 1, 2004
Share
Facebook Twitter Email

December 8, 2004

Strength Training May Improve Leg Functioning

CHICAGO—A Northwestern University researcher is conducting a clinical study to determine whether regular exercise can improve leg and ankle functioning in participants with peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition similar to coronary artery disease, where fatty deposits on the walls of arteries block blood flow to the legs and feet.

Mary McGrae McDermott, MD, associate professor of medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, is principal investigator on the study.

PAD is caused by the same risk factors as coronary artery disease: older age, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. People with PAD are at significant risk for heart attack and stroke. Some individuals with PAD experience claudication, a fatigue, discomfort, or pain in the leg muscles that occurs after walking short distances and stops when the person stands still.

However, previous research by Dr. McDermott and others showed that most people with PAD experience no symptoms or have leg symptoms other than claudication.

Dr. McDermott also found that persons with PAD who do not have intermittent claudication have significantly impaired lower extremity functioning compared with individuals without claudication.

In the Northwestern study, eligible participants with documented PAD will be randomized into one of three study arms: a supervised treadmill exercise training program, a supervised progressive resistance training program, or a nutrition control group. Participants in the latter group will attend a series of group discussions and lectures on a variety of nutrition topics. Such topics include how to read food labels, “de-salting” your diet, truth about fad diets, dietary supplements, cooking for one or two, and osteoporosis.

Participants in the supervised progressive resistance training program will work one-on-one with a strength trainer to strengthen leg muscles.

After six months of on-site exercise training, participants in the exercise arms will be moved to a six-month home exercise program to determine whether gains made during supervised training can be maintained in a home environment.

For information on the PAD study, call 312/695-2394.

Share. Facebook Twitter Email

Related Posts

Mar 29, 2023

Adolescent Sexual Health Program Receives Funding for Social Marketing Campaign

Mar 29, 2023

Lurie Cancer Center Receives Merit Extension from NCI

Oct 20, 2021

Drug Combination May Reduce Risk of Leukemia Relapse

Mar 26, 2020

Comments are closed.

Latest News

Evolving Telehealth Research and its Place in Healthcare Delivery 

Dec 8, 2023

Global Health Day Highlights Pandemic, HIV Research

Dec 8, 2023

AI May Spare Breast Cancer Patients Unnecessary Treatments

Dec 7, 2023

Drug Extends Survival in Prostate Cancer with Genetic Mutations  

Dec 6, 2023

Pioneering Biochemist Craig Crews Named Winner of 2024 Kimberly Prize

Dec 5, 2023
  • News Center Home
  • Categories
  • Press Release
  • Media Coverage
  • Editor’s Picks
  • News Archives
  • About Us
Flickr Photos
2023-Sim-Open-House_161
2023-Sim-Open-House_127
2023-Sim-Open-House_108
2023-Sim-Open-House_106
2023-Sim-Open-House_118
2023-Sim-Open-House_068
2023-Sim-Open-House_069
2023-Sim-Open-House_027
2023-Sim-Open-House_155
2023-Sim-Open-House_161
2023-Sim-Open-House_127
2023-Sim-Open-House_108

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

RSS Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr YouTube Instagram
Copyright © 2023 Northwestern University
  • Contact Northwestern University
  • Disclaimer
  • Campus Emergency Information
  • Policy Statements

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.