By Staff Reports
(Hawaii)– From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Nicholas Garlow with HHS HealthBeat.
Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, can affect the legs, making it difficult for patients with the disease to walk. Researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine wanted to see how an at-home walking program and group therapy did for PAD patients.
Patients set walking goals, tracked them, and made improvements along the way – in their walking and confidence in their ability to walk longer distances and faster. Group support motivated members to stay active.
Mary McDermott led the study.
“I still encourage people to walk at home, to make it part of their daily life, until they’ve achieved at least 30 and preferably 40 to 50 minutes each session.”
The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Learn more at healthfinder.gov.
HHS HealthBeat is production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Nicholas Garlow.