2.5. Exercise training program
Patients randomized to SET underwent a standardized training program twice a week for six months: the SET was based upon the current guidelines for SET for patients with intermittent claudication and was guided by physiotherapists [19]. After a warm up period of 5–10 min, the initial duration included 35 min of intermittent walking which was increased by 5 min each session until 50 min of intermittent walking was accomplished. The workload of exercise training was set to a walking speed that elicited claudication symptoms within 3–5 min. Patients were trained at this workload until they achieved moderate claudication followed by a brief resting period to allow symptoms to resolve.
During training heart rate was monitored using pulse monitors (Polar Beat Heart Monitors, © SARK Products). Supervising physiotherapists regularly checked the heart rate and recorded numbers at baseline and maximum heart rate when patients had to interrupt training because of claudication.