If you’re living with peripheral artery disease (PAD), you are aware of how painful even a short walk can be. When plaque builds up inside the arteries, it gets stiffer over time and restricts the amount of blood flows to your legs. Exercise is one of the best ways to manage PAD symptoms. Here’s what you should know about exercising with PAD.
What is the best Exercise for PAD?
If you have this condition, this may seem counterintuitive. Unfortunately, walking often inflames PAD and causes pain in the legs. However, this low-impact activity elevates your heart rate — you will likely have some discomfort at the beginning but don’t let this keep you from exercising! it will eventually and gradually go away as you continue walking. Start slowly, bit by bit, aim to keep a good pace and continue to walk even if you begin to feel mild pain. If the pain becomes too difficult to put up with take a break and rest for a few minutes.
Ultimately, you should escalate to a total walking time of approximately 30 to 60 minutes five days a week. After three to six months of walking regularly, you may begin to see a significant improvement in your PAD symptoms.
What Other Exercises Will Relieve My PAD Symptoms?
Supervised exercise therapy. A physical therapist will create a program to build your stamina so that you will be able to walkout.
A typical therapy session might include:
- Walking on a treadmill until your leg pain becomes too severe
- Resting until the pain subsides
- Repeating this pattern for an hour
If walking proves to be too stressful for your legs, your physical therapist might recommend water therapy, a stationary bike, an elliptical, or even yoga can help increase blood flow without adding pressure.
How Can Exercise Relieve PAD Symptoms?
While it might seem as if exercise might make PAD symptoms worse, it can actually help improve your circulation and ease the pain. PAD restricts blood flow to muscles in your limbs, painful cramping occurs. Exercise increases the blood flow.
Your goal is to be PAD free and to get to the point where you can walk for an hour without experiencing physical pain.
