Data showed improvements secondary to exercise in ' physical function ' and ' general health ' .
The other domains - ' role physical ' , ' bodily pain ' , ' vitality ' , ' social ' , ' role emotional ' , and ' mental health ' - did not show improvement at six months .
Although results showed significant heterogeneity between trials , population s and outcomes were comparable overall , with findings relevant to the claudicant population .
High- quality evidence shows that exercise programmes provided important benefit compared with placebo or usual care in improving both pain-free and maximum walking distance in people with leg pain from IC who were considered to be fit for exercise intervention .
Exercise did not improve ABI , and we found no evidence of an effect of exercise on amputation or mortality .
Exercise may improve quality of life when compared with placebo or usual care .
BACKGROUND Exercise programmes are a relatively inexpensive , low-risk option compared with other , more invasive therapies for treatment of leg pain on walking ( intermittent claudication ( IC ) ) .
This is the fourth up date of a review first published in 1998 .
OBJECTIVES Our goal was to determine whether an exercise programme was effective in alleviating symptoms and increasing walking treadmill distances and walking times in people with intermittent claudication .
Secondary objectives were to determine whether exercise was effective in preventing deterioration of underlying disease , reducing cardiovascular events , and improving quality of life .
Treadmill testing for evaluation of claudication: comparison of constant-load and graded-exercise tests.
OBJECTIVES To compare the correlation and practicability of single-stage vs. grade d treadmill protocol s in the assessment of the  absolute claudication distance ( ACD ) .  DESIGN R and omized open study . MATERIAL AND METHODS In 52 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease , the ACD on treadmill at 3 km/h and 12 % grade ( constant-load test = C-test ) ranged form 50 to 400 m. The C-test and the grade d-exercise test ( walking on the treadmill at 3 km/h and 0 % gradient for 3 min , with subsequent increase in gradient of 3.5 % every 3 min = G-test ) were carried out at r and om on the same day under st and ardized conditions . RESULTS The ACD was higher in the G-test than in the C-test ( 360.4 + /- 208.8 m vs. 166.5 + /- 93.6 m ; p < 0.001 ) . The coefficients of variation were very similar ( 57.9 % and 56.2 % , respectively ) . In the subgroup of patients with an ACD of between 100 m and 150 m , a large difference was found both for the coefficient of variation ( 58.6 % G-test , 9.6 % C-test ) and for the st and ard deviation ( 339.8 + /- 199.0 m and 133.1 + /- 12.8 m , respectively ) . CONCLUSIONS For the assessment of the ACD in patients with severe claudication the C-test would seem to be more suitable than the G-test
Data showed improvements secondary to exercise in ' physical function ' and ' general health ' .
The other domains - ' role physical ' , ' bodily pain ' , ' vitality ' , ' social ' , ' role emotional ' , and ' mental health ' - did not show improvement at six months .
Although results showed significant heterogeneity between trials , population s and outcomes were comparable overall , with findings relevant to the claudicant population .
High- quality evidence shows that exercise programmes provided important benefit compared with placebo or usual care in improving both pain-free and maximum walking distance in people with leg pain from IC who were considered to be fit for exercise intervention .
Exercise did not improve ABI , and we found no evidence of an effect of exercise on amputation or mortality .
Exercise may improve quality of life when compared with placebo or usual care .
BACKGROUND Exercise programmes are a relatively inexpensive , low-risk option compared with other , more invasive therapies for treatment of leg pain on walking ( intermittent claudication ( IC ) ) .
This is the fourth up date of a review first published in 1998 .
OBJECTIVES Our goal was to determine whether an exercise programme was effective in alleviating symptoms and increasing walking treadmill distances and walking times in people with intermittent claudication .
Secondary objectives were to determine whether exercise was effective in preventing deterioration of underlying disease , reducing cardiovascular events , and improving quality of life .