Buerger-Allen Exercises and Peripheral Circulation in Sedentary Office Workers

Official title

Acute Effects of Buerger-Allen Exercises on Lower Extremity Circulatory Parameters in Sedentary Office Workers: A Single-Group Pretest-Posttest Clinical Trial

Overview

This study aims to evaluate the acute effects of Buerger-Allen exercises on lower extremity circulation in sedentary office workers. Prolonged sitting is associated with reduced venous return, impaired peripheral circulation, and endothelial dysfunction. Buerger-Allen exercises are simple position-based exercises designed to enhance arterial blood flow, venous return, and tissue perfusion. Thirty-five healthy sedentary adults aged 18 to 45 years will participate in this single-group pretest-posttest clinical trial. Skin surface temperature, capillary refill time, ankle-brachial index, peripheral oxygen saturation, and heart rate will be measured before and after a single 20-minute exercise session. The findings may support the use of Buerger-Allen exercises as a practical, low-cost physiotherapy strategy to improve peripheral circulation and reduce the adverse vascular effects of prolonged sitting.

Detailed description

Sedentary behavior and prolonged sitting are associated with impaired venous return, reduced peripheral blood flow, endothelial dysfunction, and increased cardiovascular risk. Office workers who remain seated for extended periods may experience lower extremity discomfort, edema, and early circulatory impairment.

Buerger-Allen exercises are position-based therapeutic exercises that involve sequential elevation, dependency, and horizontal rest of the lower limbs. These exercises are designed to promote arterial inflow, facilitate venous return, and enhance tissue perfusion without requiring specialized equipment. Previous studies have demonstrated beneficial effects in patients with peripheral vascular disease and diabetes, but evidence regarding their acute effects in healthy sedentary adults is limited.

This study will use a quasi-experimental single-group pretest-posttest design to investigate the immediate effects of Buerger-Allen exercises on lower extremity circulation in sedentary office workers. A total of 35 participants aged 18 to 45 years will be recruited from Istanbul Gelisim University. All participants will complete a standardized 20-minute Buerger-Allen exercise protocol.

Primary outcome measures will include skin surface temperature assessed with infrared thermometry, capillary refill time, ankle-brachial index, peripheral oxygen saturation, and heart rate. Measurements will be performed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 10 minutes after the intervention.

The study is expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a simple and low-cost physiotherapy intervention for improving peripheral circulation and preventing the adverse vascular effects associated with prolonged sedentary behavior.

Interventions

• Behavioral Buerger-Allen Exercise Program
  The intervention consists of a standardized Buerger-Allen exercise protocol involving three sequential positions: (1) elevation of the lower limbs above heart level to facilitate venous return, (2) dependency of the lower limbs to promote arterial blood flow, and (3) horizontal supine rest to stabilize circulation. The complete exercise session lasts approximately 20 minutes and is performed once. Lower extremity circulatory parameters are assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention

Primary outcome measures

• Skin Surface Temperature [Time frame: Baseline, Immediately After Intervention, and 10 Minutes After Intervention]
• Capillary Refill Time [Time frame: Baseline, Immediately After Intervention, and 10 Minutes After Intervention]

Secondary outcome measures (3)

• Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) [Time frame: Baseline, Immediately After Intervention, and 10 Minutes After Intervention]
• Peripheral Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂) [Time frame: Baseline, Immediately After Intervention, and 10 Minutes After Intervention]
• Heart Rate [Time frame: Baseline, Immediately After Intervention, and 10 Minutes After Intervention]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy sedentary office workers
• Age between 18 and 45 years
• Sitting for at least 6 hours per day for work-related activities
• Not meeting regular physical activity recommendations
• Willing to participate voluntarily and provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• History of peripheral arterial disease, deep vein thrombosis, or other vascular disorders
• Cardiovascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal conditions that may affect lower extremity circulation or prevent exercise participation
• Diabetes mellitus
• Current smoking
• Pregnancy
• Use of medications that may significantly affect peripheral circulation
• Lower extremity injury or surgery within the previous 6 months
• Participation in regular structured exercise programs

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

N/A

Model

Single group

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Prevention

Study locations

Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 center

• İstanbul Gelisim University — Istanbul

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07588893 · IGU-FTR-BAE-2026-001 · 2209A-2025Fall-Submitted

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗