Buerger-Allen Exercise for Improving Peripheral Perfusion and Wound Healing in Patients with Diabetic Foot: A Narrative Review

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-807-8_12How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Buerger-Allen Exercise; Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Foot Ulcer; Peripheral Perfusion; Wound Healing

Abstract

The shift of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) toward younger demographics increases early-onset vascular complications such as diabetic foot ulcers. While standard clinical care enforces strict mechanical offloading, prolonged immobilization often impairs peripheral blood flow. Non-weight-bearing Buerger-Allen Exercise (BAE) offers a physiological pathway to restore lower-extremity circulation safely without compromising offloading principles. This narrative review aims to evaluate current clinical evidence regarding the role of BAE in improving peripheral perfusion and accelerating wound healing recovery. Literature was selected based on topical relevance, clinical evidence quality, and focus on recent publications. Synthesized clinical evidence demonstrates that structured BAE protocols consistently enhance lower extremity macro-perfusion, evidenced by increased Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) values, alongside microcirculatory improvements in Capillary Refill Time (CRT) and skin temperature. Furthermore, BAE significantly improves objective wound healing scores and demonstrates synergistic efficacy when combined with standard foot or walking exercises. However, notable heterogeneity exists in current clinical guidelines and exercise dosing protocols. In conclusion, BAE serves as a safe, cost-effective, non-weight-bearing adjuvant nursing intervention that enhances lower-extremity perfusion and accelerates ulcer recovery, though standardized clinical guidelines remain urgently needed.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Elvaretta Ramadhani Putri Dharmawan
AU  - Titus Nanda Pratama
AU  - Aisyah Khoirotu Hisan
AU  - Fahni Haris
AU  - Sendhi Tristanti Puspitasari
AU  - Rias Gesang Kinanti
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/24
TI  - Buerger-Allen Exercise for Improving Peripheral Perfusion and Wound Healing in Patients with Diabetic Foot: A Narrative Review
BT  - Proceedings of the Malang International Conference on Medical and Health Sciences (MICROMEDHS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 133
EP  - 147
SN  - 2468-5739
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-807-8_12
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-807-8_12
ID  - Dharmawan2026
ER  -