According to a recent study researchers have observed that there is evidence which shows that exercise, even though painful, is the best way forward in peripheral arterial disease. Around five per cent of those aged 55 or over will be affected by peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition where fatty build up, or plaque, in the leg arteries leads to pain, aching, and tiredness on walking.
In this situation, you would think walking would be the worst thing you could do. But researchers at Johns Hopkins University have concluded the opposite. They have looked at more than 120 studies and learned that persisting with exercise is well worthwhile for people with PAD. But pain on exercise is so common that many give up - becoming increasingly housebound and dependent on others.The best way is to make a commitment to exercise till the pain starts and then continue for several minutes to get the benefits. This can best be achieved through supervised exercise - by using a treadmill walking program, for example. Exercise helps in PAD by increasing muscle activity and blood vessel function, as well as improving overall cardiovascular health.
