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 .
Impact of a supervised strength training or walking training over a subsequent unsupervised therapy period on walking capacity in patients with claudication.
Previous studies have demonstrated that supervised strength training ( ST ) or walking training ( WT ) improve walking capacity in patients with claudication . However , it remains unknown whether these improvements would be sustained over a subsequent unsupervised period . This article reports the findings of a study to analyze whether the improvements in walking capacity , achieved with a supervised ST or WT , would be sustained over a subsequent unsupervised therapy period in patients with claudication . Patients were initially r and omized to supervised exercise consisting of ST  ( n = 15 ) or  WT  ( n = 15 ) for 12 weeks . After this period , 12 patients in each group consented to be followed for an additional 12 weeks of unsupervised therapy .  Initial claudication distance ( ICD ) and total walking distance ( TWD ) were measured at baseline , after the supervised period ( Week 12 ) and after the unsupervised period ( Week 24 ) . In comparison with baseline values , both groups similarly increased ICD and TWD at Week 12 . From Week 12 to Week 24 , both groups similarly decreased ICD ( ST : -55 ± 110 m and WT : -82 ± 142 m , P = .04 ) and TWD ( ST : -68 ± 186 m and WT : -128 ± 112 m , P < .01 ) . However , in both groups , ICD ( ST : + 126 ± 149 m and WT : + 50 ± 167 m , P = .01 ) and TWD ( ST : + 104 ± 162 m and WT : + 45 ± 139 m , P = .01 ) at Week 24 remained greater than baseline values . The conclusion is that supervised ST or WT followed by an unsupervised therapy period similarly decreased walking capacity in patients with claudication . However , after the unsupervised period , walking capacity remained at a higher level than before the onset of the supervised exercise-training period
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 .