Walking and PAD

Regular walking to the point of experiencing moderate pain, then resting briefly, and repeating this process, will improve one's ability to walk more than any other known exercise and most other medical and surgical treatments. Studies have shown that for people with PAD, a structured walking program can make a big difference, enabling people to double or triple the distance they can walk before developing symptoms, as well as their total walking distance before having to stop. Not only is walking one of the best exercises, it is also the simplest and least expensive. It requires no special talent or any special equipment except good walking shoes. Moreover, it can be done at any age. A walking program is the key to successful treatment of PAD.

The Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF) encourages participation in supervised walking programs for people with PAD to reduce symptoms of claudication and the risk for heart attack and stroke. However, many people with PAD do not have access to supervised programs. VDF's new brochure, "Focus on Walking" can help you start your own walking program or continue on your own after starting with a supervised program. The following are the key points from this brochure.

Getting Started
Before starting your own walking program, discuss your plans with your health care provider in order to make sure there are no medical conditions or physical limitations that would prevent you from safely walking. Your health care provider may have specific instructions on how hard to exercise, as well as how long and how many times per week.

Proper Equipment – Shoes!
Wear shoes that fit comfortably – neither too tight nor too loose. Don't wear shoes that are too worn. Always wear socks or stockings to prevent blisters, especially if you have diabetes.

Set a Schedule
It's important to walk on a regular basis to see results. Establish a time when you can devote an hour three or more times per week. This can be done at any convenient time of the day.

Select a Place
Choose where you want to walk. You may wish to vary the place on a daily or weekly basis.

Set a Goal
A regular walking program increases the speed, distance, and time you can walk before experiencing pain. The benefits from exercise occur gradually. For some individuals, it might take up to six months to see improvements. Set reasonable goals by knowing your limits before starting the program. Then set goals to increase your time and distance by 10% or 20% per month.

Your Walking Program – Step by Step
Step 1 – Warm-Up
As with any exercise, it is a good idea to warm-up before you start. Begin with very slow and easy walking, or easy stretching of the muscles of the thigh and the calf.

Step 2 – Walk
Begin walking and increase the pace until you reach a moderate level of pain. Use the walking pain scale as a guide to determine moderate painÑit should be equal to a three or four on the scale, which may feel like a "Charlie horse," cramp, or tightness. Try to walk at a pace that causes some pain in three to five minutes. If you can walk longer than that without reaching pain in your legs during your exercise workout, you probably are not working hard enough. If you cannot walk faster, try walking up a hill.

Step 3 – Stop and Rest
Stop walking after you reach a pain level of three or four and cannot walk farther. Rest until the pain is gone. It may take several minutes.

Step 4 – Repeat the Walk/Stop Steps Repeat the walk/stop sequence several times. The goal is to walk for a total of 50 minutes during each session, not counting the rest breaks. At first, you might be able to achieve only 10 to 20 minutes. Try to build up to 50 minutes over several weeks.

Step 5 – Finishing
Finish by doing some gentle leg stretches of the thigh and calf muscles to help reduce soreness of the muscles. Record your session in a walking log.

Success!
If you keep it up, you'll soon be walking farther, with less pain. Now that's something to get excited about!

To request your copy of VDF's new brochure, "Focus on Walking", contact VDF at 1-866-723-4636 or at info@vdf.org, or at 1075 S. Yukon St., Ste. 320, Lakewood, CO 80226.