Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterised by atherosclerotic stenosis or occlusion of the arteries of the lower limbs. This results in reduced blood flow to the legs.
Risk factors for PAD?
- Age
- Cigarette smoking
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia
- Diabetes
How do I know if I have Peripheral Arterial Disease?
Diagnosis is required through medical history, physical examination, haemodynamic assessment and vascular imaging.
Symptoms can include:
- Intermittent claudication
- Resting leg pain
- Non-healing skin ulcers
- Gangrene
How can exercise help?
Supervised, progressive exercise training is the most effective treatment to increase exercise tolerance, quality of life and reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
This can be in the form of individualized aerobic exercise including; cycling, arm ergometry,
Exercise shoulder is designed specifically to the individual’s needs, symptoms and severity of the condition. It is recommended to perform 3 days of aerobic exercise per week, in combination with 2 days of resistance training per week.