Abstract

Background. This paper offers a direct comparison of the effectiveness of treadmill training versus cycle ergometer training in patients with intermittent claudication. Low intensity (pain-free) training was used. Functional walking ability and quality of life were also evaluated. Material and methods. Twelve men aged 50-70 years with Fontaine stage II B PAOD suffering from intermittent claudication, randomly divided into 2 groups (treadmill or cycle ergometer), participated in a 12-week training programme, exercising for 30 minutes three times a week up to 85% of the time to onset of claudication pain. The effectiveness of the training programme was assessed as the difference between the time to onset of claudication pain, functional walking ability (WIQ) and quality of life (SF-36) at baseline and after programme completion. Results. On completion of the training programme, claudication distance was increased in both groups, from min. 152% to max. 682% of the baseline value, with similar improvements in the cycle ergometer vs. treadmill training group. Self-reported functional walking ability (WIQ) and quality of life (SF-36) also improved.Conclusions. Treadmill training and cycle ergometer training improved claudication distance, subjective functional walking ability and quality of life. The effects were similar in both groups.

Key words:

intermittent claudication, training, efficacy of training