Exercise Therapy for Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Purpose: This meta-analysis was conducted to systematically assess and statistically combine the results of multiple studies to determine the overall effect size of exercise therapy on chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and to examine the influence of various factors, such as exercise type, on treatment outcomes. Methods:This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, PEDro, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect.Five studies published between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2022, were included.The intervention group received a therapeutic exercise regimen, whereas the control group received alternative interventions.The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using a risk of bias evaluation.A quantitative meta-analysis was subsequently conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager (RevMan 5.4) software, employing a random-effects model to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD).Results: Venous flow outcomes were assessed across four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving patients with CVI.The experimental group receiving exercise therapy showed significant improvements compared to the control group.For venous return time (n = 146), the random-effects model demonstrated a significant effect (SMD = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.43-1.09).For reflux volume (n = 146), a significant reduction was observed (SMD = -0.66;95% CI: -1.00 to -0.33). Conclusion:Exercise therapy significantly improves clinical symptoms in patients with CVI.However, further clinical studies investigating changes in vascular structure and dimensions are warranted.