Physical Therapy for Liver Cirrhosis

A total of eight electrodes were placed on the quadriceps femoris muscles (four on each leg): two on the vastus medialis, one on the rectus femoris muscle, and one on the vastus lateralis muscle. The stimulation protocol of the NMES consisted of a symmetrical biphasic square pulse at 75 Hz, a duty cycle of 6 seconds (sec.) on and 29 sec. off, a pulse time of 410 sec. during a session lasting 20 min. The intensity was increased to maximum individual toleration. The muscle contractions were visible and palpable.

The chair-seated exercises were used in the early stages of the program because the participants were frail adults. Repetitions of toe raises, heel raises, knee lifts, knee extensions, and others were performed while seated on a chair. Hip flexions, lateral leg raises, and repetitions of other exercises were performed standing upright behind the chair and holding the back of the chair for stability. To strengthen lower extremities, a fixed weight was placed on the ankle while participants performed strengthening exercises. Weights of 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 1.50 kg were used in accordance with each participant's strength level as the resistance progressively increased. The exercises performed using these ankle weights included seated knee flexion and extension and standing knee flexion and extensions. Exercises using a resistance band: Resistance bands were used to strengthen lower body. Lower body exercises included leg extension and hip flexion