THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS PHYSICAL PROCE- DURES ON THE CIRCULATION IN HUMAN LIMBS *

DURING the past 10 years a series of physiologic studies has been carried out on the effects of various physical procedures upon the circulation in the limbs, in the hope of obtaining information of practical value in the physical therapy of peripheral vascular diseases. The purpose of the present paper is to review and summarize this work in order that clinical implications may be more easily derived. The physical procedures that have been studied may be grouped under three main headings: (1) heat; (2) posture, and (3) pressure cuffs. HEAT Heat is a well-known vasodilator and its effects are striking, whether it is applied generally to the body or locally to a part of a limb. However, there is a distinct difference in the physiologic mechanism of vasodilatation produced by general body heating and that produced by direct local heating. The first involves widespread activity of the sympathetic nervous system, while the second may involve vasodilation only in the local tissues bein