Leg strengthening exercise to improve standing blood pressure response during muscle tensing in the treatment of orthostatic hypotension

Targeting the skeletal muscle pump to aid standing in elders with postural hypotension

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN45337422

Enrollment

Registered

2020-02-19

Start date

2018-09-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2022-09-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Orthostatic hypotension Circulatory System Orthostatic hypotension

Interventions

Lower limb strengthening exercises: 1. Duration: 8 weeks 2. Frequency: four times per week 3. Intensity: 5-minute warm-up, 30-minute strength exercises,

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Older people, aged over 60 years 2. With a clinical diagnosis of orthostatic hypotension 3. Who are able to stand

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Unable to participate in physical therapy 2. Acute illness requiring hospitalisation within previous 6 weeks 3. Any physical or cognitive impairment which would prevent engagement with self-directed physical therapy, or ability to follow instructions and complete assessments 4. Receiving physical therapy in other settings, or having received therapy in the previous 12 weeks which involved the lower limbs, or performs regular strengthening exercises of the lower limb (e.g. regular attendance at the gym) 5. Ulceration to the lower limbs 6. Participants who wear compression garments will be required to remove these for assessments

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Systolic BP drop upon standing, measured using a non-invasive, continuous BP monitor (Taskforce, CNSystems) at baseline and completion (12 weeks)	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Measured at baseline and 12 weeks: 1. Calf muscle strength measured using a dynamometer 2. Ejection fraction and refill time of blood from the right and left calf, measured using air plethysmography 3. Transcutaneous tissue oxygen saturation (TOS): anterior muscle area, measured using optical TOS probe (LEA O2C) 4. Venous return (the volume of venous blood returning to the heart), measured using impedance cardiography (Taskforce CNSystems) 5. Peripheral resistance (vasodilation due to muscle activity) measured using impedance cardiography (Taskforce CNSystems) 6. Symptoms during standing measured using Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire 3 Exploratory outcome measures: 1. Adherence to the intervention assessed using self-directed exercise diary at 12 weeks 2. Safety assessed using self-directed exercise diary at 12 weeks 3. Acceptability of and barriers to the intervention assessed using qualitative interviews at 12 weeks	—

Measure

Time frame

Measured at baseline and 12 weeks: 1. Calf muscle strength measured using a dynamometer 2. Ejection fraction and refill time of blood from the right and left calf, measured using air plethysmography 3. Transcutaneous tissue oxygen saturation (TOS): anterior muscle area, measured using optical TOS probe (LEA O2C) 4. Venous return (the volume of venous blood returning to the heart), measured using impedance cardiography (Taskforce CNSystems) 5. Peripheral resistance (vasodilation due to muscle activity) measured using impedance cardiography (Taskforce CNSystems) 6. Symptoms during standing measured using Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire 3 Exploratory outcome measures: 1. Adherence to the intervention assessed using self-directed exercise diary at 12 weeks 2. Safety assessed using self-directed exercise diary at 12 weeks 3. Acceptability of and barriers to the intervention assessed using qualitative interviews at 12 weeks

—

Countries

England, United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026