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VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2 • JUNE 2012
SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE
Week
Time
(min)
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Distance
(m)
1
5
2
10
3
15
4
20
5
25
6
30
7
30
8
30
9
30
10
30
11
30
12
30
Table 1.
Example of an exercise chart.
P
eripheral arterial disease (PAD) can make walking and other
physical activities painful and challenging. Regular aerobic ac-
tivities aim to improve circulation to the leg muscles and can
reduce the pain caused by PAD. Walking is, therefore, the best exercise
for people with PAD as it may also reduce cardiovascular risk factors.
HOW TO START
It is important to concentrate on the duration of the exercise and not
•
the distance you have walked. Begin with a five- to 15-minute walk.
Your pace will vary depending on your leg pain. Try to walk until the
•
pain slows you down, then walk slower or stop until the pain sub-
sides. Repeat this cycle for the whole exercise period.
Try to exercise at least three days per week, but preferably more.
•
After one week you can increase the time period of exercise by five
minutes and repeat this every week until you can do 30 minutes or
more. If time limits you; for example, you have only 30 minutes per
day to exercise, you can still improve weekly by trying to increase the
distance covered in 30 minutes.
Make this part of your daily routine over the long term. Do not stop
•
exercising when you reach 30 minutes.
You may replace walking with other aerobic exercise such as cycling
•
or swimming.
PRECAUTIONS
Cardiovascular disease often accompanies PAD. Stop and contact
•
your doctor if you experience chest pain, severe shortness of breath
and/or nausea during exercise.
Refrain from exercising in extremely hot or humid weather or in the
•
midday sun.
Your symptoms may feel worse in cold weather.
•
Use an exercise chart to keep track of your progress. Tick the box for
every day that you completed the allocated time per week. Try to increase
your time every week. In the example below (Table 1) you will start with a
five-minute walk every day of the week. The progression is five minutes
per week up to 30 minutes after six weeks.
From week seven to 12, try to increase the distance that you cover in the 30
minutes every week. After 12 weeks, a regular 30-minute walk should be part
of your daily life. If your baseline activity level is more than a five-minute walk,
start with a longer time period, for example 15 minutes, and progress in the
same way over the first six weeks before you start increasing the distance.
Keep and Copy Series
EXERCISE AND PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE