12-Week Supervised Rehab Boosts Walking & Wound Healing in PAD Patients
Summary: A retrospective cohort study in *Advances in Skin & Wound Care* (Aug 2025) evaluated 42 patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD)—many with intermittent claudication or severe ischemia—who participated in a 12-week supervised exercise component of cardiovascular rehabilitation.
At baseline, patients walked an average of 301.8 m on the 6-minute walk test. By program end, this increased to 408.3 m. Among the eight patients with wounds at baseline, all but one—who died before healing—achieved wound closure. One year post-program, only one patient developed a new wound; four underwent angioplasty, and one required a major amputation.
Significance: Supervised rehab appears to safely improve walking capacity and promote wound healing in patients with moderate to severe PAD. While promising, prospective trials are needed to confirm these findings and inform clinical practice.
Keywords:
supervised rehabilitation program,
peripheral artery disease,
walking distance,
wound healing,
retrospective cohort study,
6-minute walk test,
Advances in Skin & Wound Care