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 .
Influence of upper- and lower-limb exercise training on cardiovascular function and walking distances in patients with intermittent claudication.
PURPOSE The effects of upper-limb ( arm cranking ) and lower-limb ( leg cranking ) exercise training on walking distances in patients with intermittent claudication was assessed . METHODS Sixty-seven patients ( 33 to 82 years old ) with moderate to severe intermittent claudication were recruited , and the maximum power generated during incremental upper- and lower-limb ergometry tests was determined , as were pain-free and maximum walking distances ( by using a shuttle walk test ) . Patients were r and omly assigned to an upper-limb training group ( n = 26 ) or a lower-limb training group ( n = 26 ) . An additional  untrained group ( n = 15 ) was recruited on an ad hoc basis in parallel with the main trial by using identical inclusion criteria . This group was subsequently shown to possess a similar demographic distribution to the two exercise groups . Supervised training sessions were held twice weekly for 6 weeks . RESULTS Both training programs significantly improved the maximum power generated during the incremental upper- and lower-limb ergometry tests ( P < . 001 ) , which may reflect an increase in central cardiovascular function that was independent of the training mode . More importantly , pain-free and maximum walking distances also improved in both training groups ( P < .001 ) . The improvements in the training groups were similar ; there were no changes in the untrained control group . These findings suggest that the symptomatic improvement after upper-limb exercise training may result , in part , from systemic cardiovascular effects rather than localized metabolic or hemodynamic changes . CONCLUSION Carefully prescribed upper-limb exercise training can evoke a rapid symptomatic improvement in patients with claudication , while avoiding the physical discomfort experienced when performing lower-limb weight-bearing exercise
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 .