Doctors may want to revise the ‘no pain, no gain’ theory when it comes to exercise and patients with peripheral artery disease, a review suggests.

Patients stick with their exercise program better if they are given a pain-free option, rather than having to push through the walking pain barrier, researchers say.

Study co-author Edward Lin, a masters candidate at the University of Toronto in Canada, says pain plays a major role in completion and adherence rates.

“Walking to pain is effective, but only if patients actually do it,” he says.