The effects of adding physiotherapy to compression therapy on function and oedema in chronic venous insufficiency.
Noemí Moreno-Segura, Mario Mateo-Martínez, Mariana Sánchez-Barbadora et al.
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In 30 seconds
This single-blind, two-group randomized controlled trial compared conventional compression stockings and preventive measures with the same care plus physiotherapist-instructed therapeutic exercise and self-manual lymphatic drainage in people with chronic venous insufficiency. The final sample comprised 55 participants. Outcomes included leg circumferences, walking and sit-to-stand tests, physical activity, and preventive measures, assessed before and after the intervention. The study found no significant overall time effects or group-by-time-by-adherence interactions across outcomes. The authors concluded that adding physiotherapy did not appear superior to conventional care for improving function or oedema.
Key findings
- No significant group-by-time-by-adherence interaction was found for any measured outcome.
- In the conventional-care group with high adherence, circumference measures at 10, 20, and 30 cm from the heel in both legs and the 6-Minute Walking Test showed a significant main effect for time.
Why it matters
Compression and preventive measures are commonly used in chronic venous insufficiency, and adding exercise and self-manual lymphatic drainage may require additional resources and patient effort. In this trial, the combined programme did not show an overall advantage for function or oedema, so its incremental benefit over conventional care remains uncertain.
What to keep in mind
The final sample was 55 participants, and outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention; the abstract does not report follow-up beyond this assessment.