How rehab can help PAD patients

Does peripheral artery disease make it challenging for you to walk? PAD rehab, offered at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional, can help. The goal of PAD rehab is for patients to be able to walk longer than they were able to before starting rehab.  

People with PAD have narrowed or blocked arteries, usually in their legs, and they often have cramping and burning in their legs as well. To be eligible for the PAD rehab program, people need to have active symptoms.  

If you think you may have PAD but haven’t been diagnosed, contact your healthcare provider. 

What to expect  

TidalHealth has offered PAD rehab for about two years, and for now, people undergoing PAD rehab are incorporated into cardiac rehab classes, with a different protocol. Insurance allows people 12 weeks to complete the PAD rehab program.  

Patients start out with a group warm-up with basic dynamic exercises and weight training. Then, they have 30 minutes to exercise, which they use to walk on the treadmill until they are unable to because of pain. PAD often brings about claudication, which is a burning feeling in the muscles. After they stop and recover, they get back on the treadmill. Getting to this uncomfortable point allows the body to build smaller blood vessels.  

Using a treadmill allows the patients to be kept at a regimented speed and incline, and medical team members can gauge this speed, rather than just watching someone walk around. Patients are also on a heart monitor, and team members obtain feedback from the patients about how painful the workout was. If the patient is unable to walk on the treadmill or can only do so for a short time, they can use a non-weight-bearing machine, like a stationary bike.  

Each session also includes education on topics such as lifestyle modifications and why these are important – for example, controlling blood pressure and eating healthily.  

After PAD rehab 

After PAD rehab, patients can use what they’ve learned and continue habits at home. For some people, participating in this rehab program and learning about lifestyle modifications can prevent the need for surgery.