Femoral venous flow velocity during passive ankle exercise in patients with chronic spinal cord injury

[Purpose] We examined the effect of passive ankle exercise on femoral venous flow in paralyzed, atrophied lower legs of patients with chronic spinal cord injury. [Participants and Methods] Ten males with complete spinal cord injury at the T6–12 levels and ten able-bodied males participated in this study. B-mode muscle ultrasound was performed on the medial gastrocnemius muscle to evaluate muscle atrophy. Doppler ultrasound was used to measure the time-averaged mean velocity in the femoral vein at rest and during passive motion of the ankle. [Results] Mean muscle thickness was significantly reduced in the spinal cord injury group, showing a mean value of 67.2% compared with able-bodied participants. No significant differences were observed in the time-averaged mean velocity at rest between the groups, although they were slightly lower in the spinal cord injury group than in the able-bodied group. During passive motion, no significant difference was observed in the time-averaged mean velocity between the groups, although the mean value in those with spinal cord injury was 65.9% that of the able-bodied group. Time-averaged mean velocity increased in both groups, compared with baseline. [Conclusion] Passive ankle exercise increased time-averaged mean velocity in spinal cord injury, but venous blood velocity was reduced in spinal cord injury compared to the able-bodied group. We believe that significant muscle atrophy affected our results in chronic spinal cord injury.