PAD & intermittent claudication exercise

[AnotherEarlyRiser]

Has anyone tried exercise machines of any kind to help with this condition? I'm thinking particularly of those you can use sitting down, for example electrical muscle stimulation or pedal exercisers.

I was diagnosed with this - calf pain when walking, muscle cramps at night - soon after my CABG 2 years ago. The vascular consultant I saw said he wouldn't recommend any sort of intervention, just to walk. Walk until it hurts, he said, then stop, wait for the pain to go & then walk some more. I do this nearly every day, but as I also spend a lot of time sitting down most days, I wondered if there was anything I could do to help my legs at the same time.

I'd be interested to hear others' experiences.

[Dovaston]

Hi I had PAD and followed the same instructions as you are advised. To my surprise this worked and a later scan showed that through the exercise every day new blood vessels had formed to help overcome the narrowings in the leg. I have had no leg issues for several years. Keep Walking daily and things will improve. A static exercise bike might help. Good Luck 😊

[jeanjeannie50]

I had the same thing and my GP told me to cut out fat. I did and haven't had it since.

[Maisywhippet]

Hi, I’ve been diagnosed with PAD. I don’t get any cramp but my legs feel really tight at the end of the day as if my skin is too small😂 I bought a second hand electrical stimulation machine and find that 1/2 hour on it really helps. It does seem to boost the circulation. I also have a vibration plate to stand on which works well. Body brushing the legs with a soft brush up towards the heart will also help, especially if you have any fluid in the legs and also boosts circulation to the muscles.