Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Exercise is an inexpensive, low risk option compared with other more invasive therapies for leg pain on walking (intermittent claudication).

OBJECTIVES:

The objective of this review was to determine the effects of exercise for leg pain.

SEARCH STRATEGY:

The reviewers searched the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group trials register, Embase, reference lists of relevant articles, and contacted principal investigators of trials.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Randomised trials of exercise regimens in patients with leg pain on walking (intermittent claudication).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS:

At least two reviewers extracted and assessed data trial quality independently. The reviewers contacted investigators to obtain information or data needed for the review that could not be found in published reports.

MAIN RESULTS:

Fifteen trials were identified that met the inclusion criteria, but five were subsequently excluded because of poor quality. The remaining ten trials involved a total of almost 250 male and female patients with stable leg pain. The follow-up ranged from 12 weeks to 15 months. There was also some variation in the exercise regimens used, although all recommended at least two weekly sessions of, mostly, supervised exercise. All trials used a treadmill walking test as one of the outcome measures. The overall quality of the included trials was generally good, though the trials were all small (20-49 patients). Exercise therapy significantly improved maximal walking time (minutes) (weighted mean difference 6.51, 95% confidence interval 4.36 to 8.66, fixed effect model [FE]), with an overall improvement in walking ability of approximately 150% (range 74% to 230%). Exercise produced significant improvements in walking time compared with both angioplasty at six months (weighted mean difference 3.30, 95% confidence interval 2.21 to 4.39, FE) and antiplatelet therapy (weighted mean difference 1.06, 95% confidence interval 0.15 to 1.97, FE), and did not differ significantly from surgical treatment. In one small trial, exercise was less effective than pentoxifylline (weighted mean difference -0.45, 95% confidence interval -0.66 to -0.24, FE).

REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS:

Exercise is of significant benefit to patients with leg pain.