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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Research shows that those with Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can better their walking performance, endurance, and quality of life through supervised treadmill exercise.
PAD is a condition that develops when the arteries that supply blood to the legs become blocked due to plaque build-up. It's a disease that affects one in 16 adults above the age of 40. The disease can cause pain in the legs; however, the treadmill exercises can help those with or without classic symptoms of pain in leg muscles.
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One-hundred-and-fifty-six patients with PAD were randomly assigned to treadmill exercise or to a control group for six months. The treadmill group was tested on a six-minute walk performance, a health survey of physical functioning, a short physical performance battery, and a change in the diameter of an artery in the arm.
Those in the supervised treadmill exercise group improved their physical functioning score and walking performance. Evidence also shows those in the treadmill exercise group increased significantly in the amount of average walking time at the six month follow up in comparison to the control group.
"Based on the findings in this trial, physicians should recommend supervised treadmill exercise programs from PAD patients, regardless of whether they have class symptoms," study authors wrote.
Source: JAMA, January 14, 2009
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