Study designs of evaluations included in the review
All study designs were included. Three RCTs and 18 non-randomised and uncontrolled studies were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
Exercise rehabilitation programmes. Specific interventions included walking only or a combination of two or more of the following: walking, running, cycling, stair climbing, dancing, rope skipping, jumping, playing ball, heel raises, straight-leg raises, limbering up, sitting and standing, knee bends, dynamic leg exercises and static leg exercises. Duration of the exercise programme ranged from 4 to 48 weeks, frequency of exercise classes range from 1.5 to 10 per week and the location for the intervention was home, on-site or a combination of both.
Participants included in the review
Participants with claudication pain were included. The mean age was 62.8 years (range: 57.9 to 68).
Outcomes assessed in the review
Claudication pain was assessed using a treadmill test before and after an exercise programme. Studies were excluded if mean or individual times or distances walked to the onset of pain and to the maximal claudication pain were not reported.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors do not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection.