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 .
A Program of 3 Physical Therapy Modalities Improves Peripheral Arterial Disease in Diabetes Type 2 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Background and Objective : Type 2 diabetes is one of the main causes of peripheral vascular disease . The beneficial effects of exercise on glucose homeostasis include a marked stimulation of blood glucose utilization during and after its performance . The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a program of 3 physical therapy modalities on blood circulation in patients with type 2 diabetes with peripheral arterial disease . Subjects and Method : A r and omized controlled trial was undertaken . Sixty-eight patients with type 2 diabetes with Leriche-Fontaine stage I or IIa peripheral arterial disease were r and omly assigned to an exercise or placebo group . For 20 weeks , the exercise group underwent treatment comprising 3 exercises at proximal , medium , and distal segments of the lower limbs , and the placebo group received sham treatment with disconnected ultrasound equipment .  Peripheral arterial disease was determined by evaluating the ankle/brachial index ( ABI ) , Doppler flow velocity , blood parameters , cardiovascular risk score , and heart rate during exercise test . Results : After 20 weeks of treatment , significant differences between groups were found in the following : right ( P < .039 ) and left ( P < .023 ) ABI ; Doppler flow velocity ( cm/s ) in the right ( P < .010 ) and left ( P < .026 ) posterior tibial artery and in the right ( P < .012 ) and left ( P < .022 ) dorsalis pedis artery ; and fibrinogen ( P < .045 ) , hemoglobin ( P < .021 ) , cholesterol ( P < .012 ) , high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( P < .031 ) , and HbA1c ( P < .034 ) values . There was no significant difference in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values ( P < .110 ) between the groups . Conclusion : A program of these physical therapy modalities improves ABI , Doppler flow velocity , and blood parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes
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 .