SET was still beneficial for maximal and pain-free walking distances at 12 months , but it did not have a significant effect on quality of life parameters .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS SET has statistically significant benefit on treadmill walking distance ( maximal and pain-free ) compared with non-supervised regimens .
BACKGROUND Although supervised exercise therapy is considered to be of significant benefit for people with leg pain ( peripheral arterial disease ( PAD ) ) , implementing supervised exercise programs ( SETs ) in daily practice has limitations .
This is an up date of a review first published in 2006 .
OBJECTIVES The main objective of this review was to provide an accurate overview of studies evaluating the effects of supervised versus non-supervised exercise therapy on maximal walking time or distance on a treadmill for people with intermittent claudication .
Improvement of the walking ability in intermittent claudication due to superficial femoral artery occlusion with supervised exercise and pneumatic foot and calf compression: a randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVES To compare the effect of unsupervised exercise , supervised exercise and intermittent pneumatic foot and calf compression ( IPC ) on the claudication distance , lower limb arterial haemodynamics and quality of life of patients with intermittent claudication . METHODS Thirty-four eligible patients with stable intermittent claudication were r and omised to IPC ( n = 13 , 3h/d for 6 months ) , supervised exercise ( n = 12 , three hourly sessions/week for 6 months ) or unsupervised exercise ( n = 9 ) . In each patient , initial claudication distance ( ICD ) , absolute claudication distance ( ACD ) , resting ankle brachial pressure index ( ABPI ) , and resting hyperaemic calf arterial inflow were measured before , 6 weeks , 6 months and 1 year after r and omisation . Quality of life was assessed with the short form (SF)-36 , walking impairment ( WIQ ) and intermittent claudication question naires ( ICQ ) . RESULTS Compared with unsupervised exercise , both IPC and supervised exercise , increased ICD and ACD , up to 2.83 times . IPC  increased arterial inflow ( p < 0.05 at 6 weeks ) and ABPI .  Supervised exercise decreased arterial inflow and increased ABPI ( p < 0.05 at 6 months ) . Unsupervised exercise had no effect on arterial inflow or ABPI . IPC improved significantly the ICQ score and the speed score of the WIQ , while supervised exercise improved the WIQ claudication severity score . At 1 year clinical effectiveness of supervised exercise and IPC was largely preserved . CONCLUSIONS IPC , by augmenting leg perfusion , achieved improvement in walking distance comparable with supervised exercise . Long-term results in a larger number of patients will provide valuable information on the optimal treatment modality of intermittent claudication
SET was still beneficial for maximal and pain-free walking distances at 12 months , but it did not have a significant effect on quality of life parameters .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS SET has statistically significant benefit on treadmill walking distance ( maximal and pain-free ) compared with non-supervised regimens .
BACKGROUND Although supervised exercise therapy is considered to be of significant benefit for people with leg pain ( peripheral arterial disease ( PAD ) ) , implementing supervised exercise programs ( SETs ) in daily practice has limitations .
This is an up date of a review first published in 2006 .
OBJECTIVES The main objective of this review was to provide an accurate overview of studies evaluating the effects of supervised versus non-supervised exercise therapy on maximal walking time or distance on a treadmill for people with intermittent claudication .