Effects of External Counterpulsation on Postexercise Recovery in Elite Rugby League Players

Impact of Enhanced External Counter-pulsation Therapy on Glycaemic Control in People With Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Enhanced external counter-pulsation (EECP) therapy is approved for refractory angina in coronary artery disease (CAD). EECP is being explored as a treatment modality in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: The Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (PubMed), ClinicaltTrials. gov, CNKI database, Clinical Trials Registry-india (CTRI), and Google Scholar databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving patients receiving EECP therapy in the intervention arm. The primary outcome was the changes in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The secondary outcomes were the changes in blood glucose parameters, inflammatory markers and any adverse events. Results: Data from 3 RCTs involving 71 people with T2DM/prediabetes was analysed to find out the impact of EECP therapy compared with placebo. As compared with placebo, patients receiving EECP had significantly lower HbA1C immediately after completion of therapy (mean difference [MD] -0.70%, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.95. -0.45;p<0.00001), at 2-4 weeks post completion of therapy (MD -1.04%, 95%CI -1.32. -0.77; p<0.00001) and 7-12 weeks after therapy completion (MD -0.98%, 95% CI -1.22, -0.74; p<0.00001). EECP therapy was well tolerated without any increased side effects (risk ratio 2.36, 95% CI 0.11-52.41; p=0.59. Conclusion: EECP therapy is effective in blood glucose and pressure lowering over at least 7-12 weeks of therapy completion. Blood glucose and pressure should be monitored with suitable modulation of drug doses to prevent hypoglycaemia and hypotension in patients with angina undergoing EECP therapy. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42023434533.

Efficacy of two doses of external counterpulsation (ECP) on glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized SHAM-controlled trial

AIMS

To determine the efficacy of two doses of external counterpulsation (ECP) on glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), and any persistent benefits 7 weeks following treatment.

METHODS

50 participants with T2D were randomly assigned to either 1) 20x45-minute ECP sessions over 7 weeks (ECP₄₅), 2) 20x30-minute ECP sessions over 7 weeks (ECP₃₀) or 3) SHAM control. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, after 7 weeks of the intervention and 7 weeks after the interventions finished. Efficacy was determined from changes in HbA_1c.

RESULTS

After 7 weeks, there were significant between-group differences, with ECP₄₅ lowering HbA_1c compared to SHAM (mean [95% CI] -0.7 [-0.1 to -1.3] %; -7 [-1 to -15] mmol/mol). Within group changes were; ECP₄₅ (mean±SD -0.8±0.8%; -8±8 mmol/mol), ECP₃₀ (-0.2±0.5%; -2±6 mmol/mol) and SHAM (-0.1±0.9%; -1±10 mmol/mol). HbA_1c in the ECP₄₅ group remained lower 7 weeks after completing the intervention; ECP₄₅ (7.0±1.1%; 53±26 mmol/mol), ECP₃₀ (7.7±1.4%; 60±16 mmol/mol) and SHAM (7.7±1.0%; 60±10 mmol/mol).

CONCLUSIONS

In people with T2D, ECP₄₅ for 7 weeks improved glycemic control when compared to ECP₃₀ and a SHAM control group.

Long-Term Effect of Vibration Therapy for Training-Induced Muscle Fatigue in Elite Athletes

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term effect of vibration therapy with holistic and local intervention in treating muscle fatigue in elite athletes during their intensive training season. Methods: Study participants included five male athletes from a provincial Greco-Roman wrestling team who were qualified for the finals of China’s national games. During the study, conventional therapeutic intervention was applied during the initial three weeks of the study, and an instrument intervention was adopted in the following three weeks. A surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure muscle fatigue of latissimus dorsi, both before and after each intervention session. Specifically, the pre-intervention measurement was conducted right after the daily training completion; and the post-intervention measurement occurred in the following morning. The data analyses were to compare the differences in the muscle fatigue data between the two modes of interventions, conventional and instrument therapy. Results: The conventional intervention showed no significant difference in the sEMG indexes before and after the intervention; while for the instrument intervention, the pre- and post- intervention sEMG indexes differed significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The long-term effects of instrument vibration therapy on muscle fatigue recovery were studied based on observational data from elite athletes. The results indicate that the vibration therapy with holistic and local consideration demonstrated an effective reduction of muscle fatigue and/or fatigue accumulation in elite athletes during their intensive training season.

Effect of External Counterpulsation on Running Performance and Perceived Recovery

PURPOSE

To determine the efficacy of 20 minutes of external counterpulsation (ECP) on subsequent 1.2-km shuttle run test (1.2SRT) performance and perceived recovery following fatiguing high-intensity exercise.

METHODS

After familiarization, 13 recreationally active males (21.4 [1.9] y) participated in 2 experimental trials in a randomized crossover design. At 8:00 AM, participants completed a 1.2SRT, followed by an individualized high-intensity exercise bout and 20 minutes of ECP or supine passive rest (control). At 2:00 PM a second 1.2SRT was completed. Completion time for 1.2SRT (measured in seconds), heart rate, and Borg rating of perceived exertion were compared across conditions. Total quality of recovery and 100-mm visual analogue scale of perceived benefit of recovery were assessed at multiple time points.

RESULTS

A significantly smaller decline in PM 1.2SRT completion time compared with AM (baseline) was found for ECP compared with control (P = .008; moderate, very likely beneficial effect size of -0.77 [-1.53 to 0.05]). Total quality of recovery was significantly higher for ECP than control (P < .001), and perceived benefit of recovery was higher following ECP (P < .001, very large, most likely beneficial effect size of 2.08 [1.22 to 2.81]).

CONCLUSIONS

Twenty minutes of ECP was found to be an effective recovery modality for within-day, between-bouts exercise, positively influencing subsequent 1.2SRT performance and enhancing perceptual recovery. ECP may be applied as a viable alternative to optimize and accelerate the recovery process, particularly in the event of congested training or competition demands.