Barriers to physical activity in patients with intermittent claudication

The main barriers reported by the patients with claudication are related to claudication symptoms. However, it remains unclear whether these barriers are associated with physical activity levels in these patients.

The aim of this study was to analyze the barriers to and the factors associated with physical activity (PA) in intermittent claudication (IC) patients.

The sample included 150 IC Brazilian patients and mean age 64 ± 9 years old. Sociodemographic factors, comorbid conditions and cardiovascular risk factors, personal and environmental barriers to PA, and walking capacity (claudication onset distance-COD and peak walking distance-PWD) were obtained. PA was assessed using a pedometer over seven consecutive days.

Patients performed 6,041 ± 3,166 steps/day. The most prevalent personal and environmental barriers to PAs were exercise-induced pain and the presence of obstacles that aggravate the leg pain. Multiple linear regression showed that level of PA was inversely associated with age (β = -81.13; p < 0.001), lack of green areas (β = -1363.54; p < 0.001), and positively associated with PWD (β = 3.07; p < 0.001).

Older IC patients who live in neighborhoods that lack green areas to walk in, and who have poor walking capacity present lower levels of PA.