The aim of the present study is to develop a new health promotion method for executives mainly doing office works. A simple and valid method by which the executives can promote their health even during doing office works is needed. In animal experiments using dogs anestetized with pentobarbital and fentanyl, electrical stimulation (10 - 20 Hz, 2 msec, 8 - 10 V, rectangular pulse wave, on-off at every 5 sec) of lower limbs actively elicited intermittent strong lower limbs' skeletal muscle contraction. This muscle contraction enhanced markedly systemic arterial blood pressure, heart rate, left ventricular end systolic pressure and lower limb's venous pressure. We sampled blood during muscle contraction and measured plasma catecholamine levels. Plasma catecholamine levels increased from the control (without muscle contraction).
　These results indicated that electrical stimulation of lower limbs effectively enhanced the systemic (and peripheral) circularoty function. In supine healthy volunteers (n = 13), two - legged exercise by wearing specially made shoes attached with rubber belts increased significantly systolic arterial blood pressure from 123 ± 15 to 136 ± 15 mmHg, mean arterial blood pressure from 81 ± 12 to 88 ± 12mm Hg and heart rate from 70 ± 11 to 93 ± 31 beats/min. These results suggest the possibility that even the moderate two - legged exercise can promote the peripheral circulatory function and cardiopulmonary function.
　We conclude that the lower limb stimulation in animals and the two - legged exercise in healthy volunteers are effective methods for improving the muscle activity of lower limbs, peripheral circulatory function and cardiopulmonary function. If we can develop a more appropriate stimulation method without noxious stimuli and a more appropriate exercise mode, stimulation of lower limbs and two - legged exercise could be permissive methods for improving the muscle activity of lower limbs, peripheral circulatory function and cardiopulmonary function for busy executives even during doing office works.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.17/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE