Walking, the ancient form of transportation has now been revived for another use. People with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) pay attention.
Researchers studied 156 people with PAD and found that regular walks as short as 6 minutes were able to improve endurance and quality of life. Participants were studied for six months. Over that time period, participants who walked regularly increased their distance by 69 feet. Participants that did not walk regularly experienced a decrease in walking distance by 49 feet. Research also showed that collateral circulation increased. This means that there was an increase in the number of blood vessels that supplied the legs.
Although walking is already recommended for people with PAD, this research further strengthens that notion. Researchers recommend walking at least 40 minutes three times a week with a trainer, who can help you if symptoms such as persistent leg pain arise. If you are not sure that you have PAD, physicians can test for this by measuring the difference in blood pressure between your ankle and arm.
SOURCES: Journal of the American Medical Association. Jan. 14, 2009
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