Get Excited About
Exercise
Even or especially if you
have PAD
Taken from “Home Walking Program
to Stabilize and Improve Symptoms of Claudication,” by the
Providence Surgical Care Group, Inc. in Providence, RI, Tina
Braun, RN and Exercise
Specialist.
Y
ou’ve heard it before …. Exercise is
good for you. And it is. But
not all exercise is created equal. Exercise has
become a common term that means something different to
each of us. For some, it means increasing one’s
heart rate over a period of time. Others insist you
must sweat, and some believe it is just being
active. Actually, one of the best exercises is one
of the simplest. It may well be the perfect one too
because it doesn’t require special talent or any special
equipment. And, it can be done at any
age. It’s walking!
That’s
good news for people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD),
whose exercise plan should include walking. PAD is a
narrowing of the leg arteries due to a buildup of plaque.
When walking, our leg muscles require additional oxygenated
blood. For someone with PAD, narrowed arteries may
prevent this additional blood supply to . to be delivered to
the working muscle. The result may be cramping in the
legs, a common symptom known as claudication, although not
everyone gets this symptom. Ironically, walking can be
beneficial. It improves the function and efficiency of
the skeletal muscles, thereby increasing the distance walked
before the development of claudication. Therefore, if you
walk regularly, you will eventually be able to walk
farther.
To be
effective, you need to walk at least three times a
week. Walk until you experience moderate
pain. Rest a few minutes and when the pain is gone,
walk again. Keep repeating this process.
Don’t expect immediate results. It will take time,
but you should find that you are able to increase your
distance before you must stop and rest. Or, you’ll
find that you are able to complete your walk
faster. Although walking is wonderful exercise for
virtually all, there are some exceptions. You need
to check with your health care provider if you have
concerns, foot sores, recent surgeries or neuropathy (see
the last issue of Keeping In Circulation, Vol. 2 issue
3).
Although exercise walking is
beneficial, studies have strongly indicated that results
are better in formal exercise rehabilitation programs,
such as are found in a cardiovascular rehabilitation
center. Usually these programs last 3-6 months and
include 3 or more walking sessions on a treadmill per
week, supervised by medical specialists. Results
from these programs are tracked and documented to lead to
improved walking ability in almost all patients. In
addition, individuals can receive instruction as to an
effective pace and proper technique, especially if other
health concerns are present. According to one expert, Dr.
Judith Regensteiner, “Almost every patient who
participates in a supervised exercise training for
claudication gets a good benefit. Also patients
usually find the exercise programs to be a pleasant
experience. Exercise can be
fun!!”
The
Vascular Disease Foundation encourages the use of supervised
walking programs for people with PAD to reduce symptoms of
claudication and reduce the risk for heart attack.
Contact your vascular specialist for information about
supervised exercise rehabilitation programs in your area.
Whether you join a supervised program, a health club or your
own walking program, it’s important to exercise on a regular
basis. You’ll soon be able to walk farther, or with
less pain. Now, that’s something to get excited
about!
Tips for optimizing your walking program
.
-
Always check with your primary care physician before
starting an exercise program.
-
Before you start walking do the three sets of leg
stretches – the Quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch
and calf stretch. Begin walking at a comfortable
pace. Walk until you feel the pain to be at “near
maximum.” It may feel like a bad “charlie horse”
at this time.
-
Once you reach cramping pain, stop and rest until it is
completely gone. Your recovery may take 1-5
minutes.
-
After you legs are recovered repeat the walk/stop at
least 5 times.
-
When 5 training intervals have been completed, repeat
the three leg stretches.
-
One exercise session should be STRETCH
-walk/stop
5 times -
Stretch
-
Do not begin walking until your pain has been
completely relieved.
-
When you are able to walk more than 5 minutes before
experiencing pain, you may increase your
pace.
For best results, complete the interval training a
minimum of three days a week. The intervals must be
consecutive to be sure you have allowed enough time.
Remember it may take as long as 45 minutes to walk what would
normally take 30 because of the rest
periods.
with permission from Vascular Disease Foundation
(www.vdf.org) Keeping In
Circulation,
Vol. 2 issue 2
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