Active and Passive Exercise Training in Improving Vascular Function: Local vs Systemic Vascular Effect

Maintaining an adequate state of vascular function is an important element for the maintenance of cardiovascular well-being. Several training plans involving both active and passive engagement by the muscles have been proposed with the aim of improving vascular function. At local level, i.e., at the level of the arteries that supply the muscles directly involved in training, significant improvements in vascular function have been found. These improvements are more noticeable after active training than with a passive training regimen, such as passive static stretching. On the contrary, at the systemic level the effects of active or passive training are less clear and, above all, it is not evident whether there is a difference in the effects induced at the level of vascular function in arteries supplying muscles not directly involved in training. The aim of the study is to clarify the local and systemic effect of an active training protocol (single leg knee extension, SLKE) and of a passive training protocol (passive static stretching training, PST) applied to the lower limbs lasting 8 weeks on the local (femoral artery) and systemic (brachial artery) vascular function.