Oakley, C., Zwierska, I., Tew, Garry ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8610-0613, Beard, J.D. and Saxton, J.M. (2008) Nordic Poles Immediately Improve Walking Distance in Patients with Intermittent Claudication. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 36 (6). pp. 689-694.

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Abstract

Objectives
To investigate the immediate effects of Nordic pole walking (NPW) on walking distance and cardiopulmonary workload in patients with intermittent claudication.
Methods
Using a standardised treadmill test (3.2 kmh−1 at 4% gradient), walking distance, cardiopulmonary responses, leg pain and perceived exertion during NPW were compared to responses evoked by normal walking in 20 patients with intermittent claudication. The distance to onset of claudication pain (claudication distance: CD) and to maximum walking distance (MWD), heart rate (HR), expired gas parameters, leg pain (Borg's CR-10 Scale) and perceived exertion (Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion: RPE Scale) were compared.
Results
CD increased significantly from a median (range) distance of 77 m (28–503) to 130 m (41–1080) and MWD increased significantly from 206 m (81–1078) to 285 m (107–1080) when patients used the Nordic poles (P=0.000). The level of leg pain at MWD was also significantly reduced during NPW (P=0.002). Perceived exertion at MWD did not increase despite an increase in cardiopulmonary work, as indicated by an increase in oxygen consumption (16.5%; P=0.000).
Conclusion
These results show that NPW immediately enables patients with intermittent claudication to walk further with less pain, despite a higher workload. NPW might also be a useful exercise strategy for improving the cardiovascular fitness of patients with intermittent claudication.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2008.06.036
School/Department:	School of Science, Technology and Health
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/6804

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