Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the sitting posture on the lower limb venous flow and to explore the beneficial effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and the ottoman-type seat on the venous flow. Healthy adult volunteers without a history of lower limb surgery or thromboembolism were recruited, and the flow velocity, cross-sectional area, and flow volume of the popliteal vein were measured using Doppler ultrasound. A posture change from the prone position to the sitting position on the ottoman-type seat decreased the flow velocity and increased the cross-sectional area of the popliteal vein, while the flow volume was not altered over 120 min. The flow velocity was further decreased and the cross-sectional area was further increased by sitting on a regular driving seat when compared with the values obtained with the ottoman-type seat. The popliteal flow velocity in the NMES leg was significantly higher than that in the non-NMES leg throughout the 120-min testing in the sitting position, while no difference in the cross-sectional area was found between the NMES and non-NMES legs. Thus, lower limb venous stasis elicited by the sitting posture was improved by the ottoman-type seat and NMES.
