Twenty patients with peripheral arterial disease and claudication symptoms will be recruited. The patients will perform three experimental conditions, in randomized order (walking, arm-cranking and control). The exercise conditions will be composed of 15 bouts of 2 minutes exercise with an intensity equivalent to 13-15 on Borg's Subjective Perceived Exertion Scale. During the experimental conditions (walking, arm-cranking and control) blood pressure, heart rate and cerebral blood velocity will be evaluated, along with perceived exertion and affective responses. Before and after experimental conditions, vascular function, blood pressure, heart rate variability, cerebral blood velocity, subjective perceived exertion and affective responses will be evaluated.
The aim of this study is to analyze acute responses of arm-cranking exercise on cardiovascular function of peripheral arterial disease patients and compare it to the main exercise recommendation, walking exercise.