Technological Rehabilitation of Distal Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy in Diabetic Patients
Condition: Complications of Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Neuropathies
MeSH terms: Diabetic Neuropathies; Polyneuropathies; Diabetes Complications
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The investigators evaluated the effectiveness of the application of analysing treadmill,
      muscle strengthening and balance training compared to a control intervention in patients with
      diabetic neuropathy.
    

Detailed description: 
      Recent studies witnessed how physical exercise may interrupt the devastating decrease of
      muscle performance in DSP and further experiments are underway to find more exercises for the
      recovery of motor function impairment. In fact the rehabilitation treatment, that aims at
      reducing motor disability, preserving gait functions and preventing falling risks, is an
      interesting therapeutic approach. Literature recommends balance re-training exercises, muscle
      strengthening, selective stretching and retraining of motor activity.

      New technologies produced in the recent decades different devices used in strengthening
      exercises (electromechanical dynamometers), balance recovery (balance platforms) and gait
      (analyzing treadmills) have visual feedbacks through which the patients may independently
      monitor accuracy and intensity of their exercises, being therefore strongly motivated and
      resulting in a high training intensity. These technologies are often used in rehabilitation
      of different patients, but are rarely employed for DSP.

      The purpose of this case control study was to examine the effectiveness of the application of
      analysing treadmill, muscle strengthening and balance training compared to a control
      intervention in patients with diabetic neuropathy.
    

Intervention name(s): Technological Rehabilitation; Control Rehabilitation
Intervention type(s): Device; Other
Intervention description(s): The length of stride of reference used during the exercise is personalized and depends on the height of patients. Each patient carries out the feedback for 20 minutes with the aim of generating the most symmetric and regular gait.
Patients, with the dynamometer, work on strengthening of flexor and extensor muscles with ankle speeds at 90°/sec and 120°/sec. The strengthening technique was performed twice for 10 minutes each time with a 1 minute rest between sets.
The session ends with a 20-minute feedback on dynamic balance platform by carrying out exercises in which they need to reach randomly appearing targets. Subjects begin with 12 minutes the first 4 sessions, progress to 16 minutes the next 2 sessions, then 18' (2 sessions), and finally 20', if able, during the last 4 sessions.; When needed, more than on e therapist are employed in the intervention for safety reasons.
Other intervention name(s): Dynamometric isokinetic device: Biodex System 4,; Balance device: Biodex Balance System SD,; Analyzing treadmill: Biodex Gait Trainer 3.; Manual rehabilitation with the therapist.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Exercise Therapy