CLAUDICATION EXERCISES, CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

CLAUDICATION

• A cramping, burning, aching sensation in limbs occurs due to a decrease in blood flow to the nerves (neurogenic) or the muscles (vascular) supplying the extremity during the activity.

• The word "claudication" is derived from the Latin word "claudicare" which means limping.  

• Claudication typically comes while walking and resolves with rest. 

• As it comes and goes with exertion and rest, it is commonly referred to as "intermittent" claudication. 

• Severe claudication occurs rarely in which the pain is also felt at rest.

• Claudication can be neurogenic or vascular depending on the pathology. (NEUROGENIC CLAUDICATION V/S VASCULAR CLAUDICATION)

• With neurogenic claudication, a small walking distance says less than 100 meters sort of is only possible making the person homebound.

• Affects ages from 40 to over 60 years.

Claudication: Reduction in Blood Flow

CAUSES OF CLAUDICATION

• Lumbar spinal stenosis

• Rarely cervical spinal stenosis

• Peripheral Vascular Disease

• Diabetes

• Plaques

• Cardiovascular Disease

• Degenerative Disc Disease

SYMPTOMS OF CLAUDICATION

• Claudication is muscle pain due to a lack of oxygen that is caused by the activity and relieved by rest. 

• Symptoms include the following:

• Indistinct cramping pain, discomfort, or fatigue in muscles every time after activity.

• Pain in the lower limb, especially in the calf that makes walking difficult, and the person is bound to rest or change posture.

• Less often, pain in shoulders, biceps, and forearms

• Pain that gets relieved soon after resting

• The pain may become more severe as the condition progress and time elongate. You may even experience to have pain at rest.

• Cool skin

• Severe, constant pain that progresses to numbness

• Discoloration of skin

• Delay healing of wounds.

TREATMENT FOR CLAUDICATION

Claudication can be treated conservatively if your pain subsides with rest but if you experience pain even at rest then surgical intervention is advisable, so contact the doctor as soon as possible.

Conservative treatment for Claudication

Maintain a healthy heart routine that is trying to maintain the normal values of cholesterol, blood pressure.

Drugs prescribed by your physician to improve blood flow and reduce pain should be taken on time

Physiotherapy

Surgical treatment

When the condition worsens and conservative treatment fails to bring improvement, surgery would be the option.

Angioplasty

This technique is used to improve blood flow by widening or expanding a damaged artery. A doctor threads a narrow tube through the blood vessels, the tube has a tiny inflatable balloon that expands the artery. Once the artery is expanded, a small metal or plastic mesh tube (stent) in the artery is placed to keep it open.

Vascular surgery.

In this type of surgery, a healthy blood vessel is taken from another part of your body, and the vessel causing claudication is replaced. Thus blood flows around the blocked or narrowed artery.

PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR CLAUDICATION

• Physiotherapy treatment is considered very effective in intermittent claudication to improve functional activity.

• The only condition to get better results is to perform the exercises correctly and regularly.

• Start with low-intensity exercises and gradually progress to moderate and high intensity, stop the exercise if the pain becomes severe

EXERCISES FOR CLAUDICATION

LEVEL 1

CALF STRETCH EXERCISE

CALF RAISE EXERCISE

HAMSTRING STRETCH 1 EXERCISE

QUAD STRETCH EXERCISE

ADDUCTOR STRETCH 1 EXERCISE

WALL-SUPPORTED FOOT LIFT EXERCISE

PRONE KNEE BEND EXERCISE

LEVEL 2 (after pain reduces)

HAMSTRING STRETCH 2 EXERCISE

STRAIGHT LEG RAISE(SLR) EXERCISE

PRONE LEG RAISE EXERCISE

SIT-TO-STAND CHAIR SQUAT EXERCISE

STAND-TO-SIT CHAIR SQUAT EXERCISE

SIDE-LYING LEG RAISE EXERCISE

STATIONARY LUNGE EXERCISE

WALKING CAN ALSO BE HELPFUL

Walk with a rest in between, walk for few minutes which is comfortable for you and take a rest then again start for a comfortable distance. Follow the WALK-REST-WALK sequence for 20 minutes initially and gradually increase the time.

PRECAUTIONARY GUIDANCE

• Stop smoking

• Intake healthy food

• Take medication on time as prescribed if you are diabetic or have some cardiovascular condition

• If your symptoms are present even at rest then consult your nearby physician as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis.

• Stop performing exercises if your pain increases or if you feel pain in any other part of the body like the back or chest.

This post also contains:

NEUROGENIC CLAUDICATION V/S VASCULAR CLAUDICATION