Nevertheless , there was " low-level " evidence that HEPs can improve walking capacity and quality of life in patients with intermittent claudication when compared with baseline or in comparison to usual care/observation control .
In addition , improvements with  HEPs  may be inferior to those evoked by supervised exercise training .
We aim ed to conduct a systematic review of the evidence for structured , home-based exercise programmes ( HEPs ) in patients with intermittent claudication .
The Group Oriented Arterial Leg Study (GOALS) to improve walking performance in patients with peripheral arterial disease.
People with lower extremity peripheral artery disease ( PAD ) have greater functional impairment and faster functional decline than those without PAD . We describe methods for the Group Oriented Arterial Leg Study ( GOALS ) , an ongoing r and omized controlled clinical trial design ed to determine whether a Group-Mediated Cognitive Behavioral ( GMCB ) intervention improves functional performance in PAD participants , compared to a health education control condition . In GOALS , PAD participants were r and omized to either an intervention or a health education control condition in a parallel design . Both conditions consist of weekly group sessions with other PAD participants . In the intervention , cognitive behavioral techniques are used to assist participants in setting and adhering to home-based walking exercise goals . Participants are encouraged to walk for exercise at home at least 5 days/week . In the control condition , participants receive lectures on health-related topics . After 6 months of on-site weekly sessions , participants are transitioned to telephone follow-up for another 6 months . Participants in the intervention are asked to continue home walking exercise .  The primary outcome is change in six-minute walk performance between baseline and six-month follow-up . Secondary outcomes include change in six-minute walk performance at 12-month follow-up , and change in treadmill walking performance , the Walking Impairment Question naire , quality of life , and physical activity at six and 12-month follow-up . In conclusion , if our group-mediated cognitive behavioral intervention is associated with improved walking performance in individuals with PAD , results will have major public health implication s for the large and growing number of people with PAD
Nevertheless , there was " low-level " evidence that HEPs can improve walking capacity and quality of life in patients with intermittent claudication when compared with baseline or in comparison to usual care/observation control .
In addition , improvements with  HEPs  may be inferior to those evoked by supervised exercise training .
We aim ed to conduct a systematic review of the evidence for structured , home-based exercise programmes ( HEPs ) in patients with intermittent claudication .