Walking Distance Parameters Research Articles

Effect of diabetes mellitus on walking distance parameters after supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication: A systematic review.

Some believe that certain patients with intermittent claudication may be unsuitable for supervised exercise therapy (SET), based on the presence of comorbidities and the possibly increased risks. We conducted a systematic review (MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL) to summarize evidence on the potential influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the response to SET. Randomized and nonrandomized studies that investigated the effect of DM on walking distance after SET in patients with IC were included. Considered outcome measures were maximal, pain-free and functional walking distance (MWD, PFWD and FWD). Three articles met the inclusion criteria ( n = 845). In one study, MWD was 111 meters (128%) longer in the non-DM group compared to the DM group after 3 months of follow-up ( p = 0.056). In a second study, the non-DM group demonstrated a significant increase in PFWD (114 meters, p ⩽ 0.05) after 3 months of follow-up, whereas there was no statistically significant increase for the DM group (54 meters). On the contrary, the largest study of this review did not demonstrate any adverse effect of DM on MWD and FWD after SET. In conclusion, the data evaluating the effects of DM on SET were inadequate to determine if DM impairs the exercise response. While trends in the data do not suggest an impairment, they are not conclusive. Practitioners should consider this limitation when making clinical decisions.

Comparison of Walking Parameters and Cardiorespiratory Changes during the 6-Minute Walk Test in Healthy Sexagenarians and Septuagenarians

Background: The 6-minute walk test (6-MWT) is commonly used in research, with a focus on walking distance parameters rather than the physiological parameters. Even though it has been reported that the distance walked during the 6-MWT decreases with age, the adaptation of cardiorespiratory functions in healthy older adults remains to be studied. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to compare the changes in walking distance and cardiorespiratory parameters during the 6-MWT in healthy sexagenarians and septuagenarians. A secondary objective was to determine the cardiorespiratory parameters and functional performance variables that best predict the distance covered during the 6-MWT. Methods: Ten healthy sexagenarians (G60, mean age 63.6 ± 3.3 years) and 10 septuagenarians (G70, mean age 76.0 ± 3.3 years) performed the 6-MWT while the distance, heart rate and oxygen uptake (VO₂) were recorded. The subjects also completed the Timed-Up-and-Go, the Berg Balance Scale and the Human Activity Profile to establish their functional level. Results: Results showed that G60 reached significantly greater (p < 0.05) distance and VO₂ values during the 6-MWT than G70. In contrast, the energy cost of walking (O₂ cost) and heart rate did not differ between the 2 groups. Correlational analyses of the combined groups revealed that VO₂ was the variable that showed the strongest correlation with walking distance during the 6-MWT. Conclusion: Results revealed that, while G60 achieved a greater level of walking performance than G70, the 2 groups maintained the same level of walking efficiency (O₂ cost) during the walk. Both groups adjusted their walking speed to have an oxygen consumption rate at a level sufficient to meet the energy demands of the task and prevent early exhaustion. Therefore, the 6-MWT appears to be a simple tool that can be used to assess cardiorespiratory parameters in older adults and be sensitive enough to detect differences between sexagenarians and septuagenarians.