Comparison of the acute effects of ankle bathing versus moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on vascular function in young adults

We examined the efficacy of ankle bathing versus aerobic exercise to improve vascular function in young adults whom were randomized to aerobic exercise (AE) (n=13, 40-60% of heart rate reserve), ankle bathing (AB) (n=15, 43℃), or a control condition (CON) (n=14, ankle bathing at 36℃) for 40 min. Conduit vessel function [brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD)], carotid and femoral artery blood flow and shear rate (SR), and arterial stiffness [carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), augmentation index (AIx@75), β -stiffness index, and arterial compliance] were evaluated. Compared with CON, AE and AB increased percent FMD at 30 min and 90 min (interaction: p<0.05); AB decreased carotid artery blood flow and SR at 30 min, while both AE and AB increased femoral artery blood flow and SR at 30 min and 90 min (interaction: p<0.05); AE and AB decreased cf-PWV and AIx@75 at 30 min and 90 min (interaction: p<0.05); and AE improved both carotid and femoral β-stiffness index and arterial compliance, while AB reduced β-stiffness index and increased arterial compliance only in the femoral artery (interaction: p<0.05). These findings suggest ankle bathing may serve as an alternative strategy for enhancing vascular function.