Therapeutic Effect of an Underwater Exercise Program for Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease

Abstract

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of a simple underwater training program on ambulatory functions of patients with peripheral vascular disease. [Subjects and Methods] Seven male patients participated in supervised underwater exercise training for twelve weeks to determine the effect of the program on their ambulatory capacity through comparison of their pre- and post-training values of their ambulatory indices, including toe pressure, maximum ambulatory distance, and ankle brachial index. [Results] We show that twelve weeks of underwater training improved the ambulatory functions and quality of life of patients with peripheral vascular disease. [Conclusion] This program should be considered as an effective conservative treatment for low risk patients with intermittent claudication.