Research
Mixed
Supervised exercise training (SET) is a first-line therapy for chronic symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) that significantly improves walking distance and functional status.
If you have PAD, supervised walking exercise is your primary treatment. Go to a clinic or program where professionals supervise you. Walk until your leg pain is severe (3-4 out of 4), rest until it subsides, then walk again. Do this at least 3 times a week for 30+ minutes. This improves your walking distance and quality of life.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
Supervised exercise training (SET) is considered among first-line therapies for patients with chronic and symptomatic PAD... The most recent Cochrane meta-analysis showed that SET improves PFWD (82 m; 95% IC: 72 – 92) and MWD (120 m; 95% IC 51 – 190) in patients with PAD.
Why this rating
Based on Cochrane meta-analyses and clinical consensus guidelines.
Source
Exercise therapy for chronic symptomatic peripheral artery disease
Lucia Mazzolai et al. · VASA · 2024
DOI 10.1024/0301-1526/a001112
clinical_guidelineCited 11×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Home-based training (HBT) is an effective alternative to supervised exercise training when SET is not feasible, provided it is monitored.Good
- High-intensity exercise training (77-95% max HR) improves walking performance and cardiorespiratory fitness more than low-intensity training in PAD patients.Good
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