New approaches to the rehabilitation of patients with diabetic angiopathy of the lower extremities

The aim of this work is to increase the efficiency of rehabilitation of patients with diabetic angiopathy through the combined use of therapeutic exercises, training walking and functional electrical stimulation of the muscles of the lower extremities. An examination and treatment of 90 patients with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated by angiopathy of the lower extremities, with a disease duration of at least 2 years, was carried out. Patients divided into 3 groups, comparable in age, gender and main clinical manifestations, were prescribed generally accepted basic drug therapy, diet, exercise therapy in the form of physiotherapy and training walking on a treadmill. Additionally, patients of the main groups after therapeutic exercises before training walking underwent functional electrical stimulation of the lower extremities using a pulsed bipolar current with a frequency of 10-30 Hz in the 1st group and 80-100 Hz in the 2nd group. It was revealed that the inclusion of functional electrical stimulation in the treatment complex contributes to a more effective regression of pain, a decrease in the manifestations of functional hemodynamic insufficiency. The most significant changes in clinical and functional parameters were achieved in patients during electrical stimulation with a frequency of 10 to 30 Hz.

diabetic angiopathy, diabetes mellitus, rehabilitation, functional electrical stimulation, physiotherapy exercises