Exercise the Arms, Benefit the Legs

Graded walking exercises improve maximum walking distance in patients with peripheral arterial disease and claudication. However, some patients find it difficult to push themselves to the point of pain, and others have impediments such as lower-extremity arthritis. Previous research has demonstrated that upper-extremity exercise can improve lower-extremity performance in patients with claudication, presumably through systemic and central cardiovascular adaptations.

In new research from the U.K., 104 patients with lower-extremity vascular claudication were randomized to an upper-limb exercise training group, a lower-limb exercise training group, or a nontreated control group. Intervention patients participated in twice-weekly supervised sessi…