[Results of physical therapy of peripheral arterial circulatory disorders (V). Therapeutic success of different durations of physiotherapeutic exercises].

The effect of physiotherapeutic exercise treatments of various duration was investigated in 5 collectives of ambulant patients comparable with respect to age, duration of illness, site of occlusion and risk factors (133 patients). The standardized walking distance test was used as the criterion of the treatment. There was an asymptotic increase in the mean success rate of the therapy, depending on the duration of the therapy (4, 6, 8, 12, 16 weeks, corresponding to 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 treatments 3 times a week). The average improvement in walking distance increased linearly with the prolongation of the period of treatment, increases of walking distance of over 25% being assessed as successful.