Quality of life and physical activity in intensive care professionals from middle São Francisco.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess the level of physical activity (LPA) and the quality of life QL of the professionals who work in ICU. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in Adult ICUs. LPA was assessed by the International Questionnarie of Physical Activity--short form (IQPA-SF) and the QL by the Medical Outcomes Study 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. RESULTS: It was classified active 50.89% out of a total of 59 professionals. Nursing technicians were considered the most active with 60.6%. The QL of the professionals who were considered active were better when compared to inactives, with statistical differences to the category of physical aspects limitation, social aspects and mental health. The working hours were higher than recommend, the physicians were higher than the physical therapist, nurses and technicians nurses (p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: Physically active professionals who work in ICU had higher quality of life probably why have lower hours of work and consequently more free time to engage in physical activity.

Effects of electrical muscle stimulation early in the quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscle of critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is applied to critically ill patients in order to improve their muscle strength, thereby preventing hypotrophy and promoting functional recovery. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of early EMS on the range of movement of the ankle joint, and on thigh and leg circumference in critically ill patients. METHODS: This is a prospective randomized clinical trial comprising 11 patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Before and after EMS the thigh and leg circumference in both lower limbs and the goniometry of the tibiotarsal joint were measured. The angle of 90° on the goniometer was taken as the standard neutral position (NP), with the arm fixed on the lateral malleolus of the ankle joint. Other measurements, namely dorsiflexion and plantar flexion, referred to as mobile arm, were taken from the NP. These recordings were obtained following an active contraction of the patients' muscles. RESULTS: Compared with the electrostimulated limb, a difference in dorsiflexion of the control limb was observed (96.2 ± 24.9 versus 119.9 ± 14.1°; p = 0.01). A girth of 10 cm of the leg was found in limb reduction when compared to the electrostimulated one (24.7 ± 3.1 versus 26.4 ± 4.0 cm; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: EMS used at low current intensity and for a short duration failed to prevent muscle atrophy in critically ill patients. However, we did find a significant improvement in active dorsiflexion of the ankle joint suggesting that it could help to prevent against stance plantar flexion in these patients.