A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Buerger Allen Exercise on Lower Extremity Perfusion among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Selected Hospitals at Kanyakumari District

Background of the study: Individuals with diabetes mellitus have a two to fourfold increase in the rate of peripheral arterial disease. Peripheral arterial disease is a slow and progressive disease with systemic atherosclerosis. Lower extremity exercise helps to re-establish collateral blood flow to the legs and the heart. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of buerger allen exercise on levels of lower extremity perfusion among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in selected hospitals at Kanniyakumari District. Material and Management: Quasi experimental with Pre test post test control group design was adopted in this study Nonprobability purposive sampling technique was used. Sixty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus admitted in Maria Diabetic centre and Morris Mathias hospital were grouped in to two groups. Patients in experimental group were undergone intervention of buerger allen exercise for 3 times a day for 5 days, Modified Inlow’s 60 second diabetic foot screen scale was used to assess the lower extremity blood circulation. Results: In pre test experimental group 14(43.3%). patients had Inadequate level of lower extremity perfusion, 16(54.3%) had severely inadequate perfusion and none of them had adequate and moderately adequate perfusion. After the buerger allen exercise levels of lower extremity perfusion was decreased and 13(43.3%) patients had adequate level of lower extremity perfusion, 17(56.7%) moderately adequate perfusion and none of them had inadequate and had severely inadequate perfusion in experimental group. There was significant reduction in mean post test perfusion score (MD=8.13, t=32.43, p=0.001) of the experimental group. The mean post test perfusion score in experimental group lesser than the post test perfusion score of control group (MD=7.73, t=16.17, p=0.001). Conclusion: The majority of the patients in type 2 Diabetus mellitus had shown significant improvement in the levels of lower extremity perfusion through Buerger Allen Exercise.