Home exercise program with smartphone support and remote monitoring for peripheral artery disease
Official title: Enhanced Home-Based Exercise Therapy for Peripheral Arterial Disease through Mobile Health and Remote Monitoring
Funded at Veterans Health Administration · NIH-11327253 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program helps adults with peripheral artery disease use a smartphone and remote monitoring to do guided home exercises to reduce leg pain and improve walking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Decatur, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | October 1, 2021 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2RX003546-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11327253 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (age 21+) with peripheral artery disease and walking-related leg pain (claudication), including Veterans who can use a smartphone and perform supervised home walking exercises, are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot walk safely at home, lack access to or ability to use a smartphone or wearable, or have critical limb ischemia or recent major limb procedures may not benefit from this home-based program.
What this research studies
You would use a smartphone app and a wearable device to follow a structured walking and exercise plan at home while clinicians monitor your activity remotely. Coaches and the care team provide feedback and support to help you stick with the sessions without traveling to a rehab center. The program tracks steps, walking distance, and daily activities to measure progress and adherence. The approach is designed to be convenient for Veterans and others who find facility-based rehab difficult or risky to attend.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could make exercise rehabilitation easier to access, reduce walking-related leg pain, and improve mobility for people with PAD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous smartphone-enabled home exercise programs have shown promise in heart disease and smaller PAD trials, but larger remote rehabilitation approaches are still being tested for broader use.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Health Administration
Decatur, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harzand, Arash — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Harzand, Arash
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving home exercise therapy for patients with peripheral arterial disease using mobile health technology
This study is looking to make it easier for people with peripheral arterial disease, especially veterans, to do their exercise therapy at home using smartphone tools, so they can improve their mobility and quality of life without the hassle of traveling to a clinic.
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Understanding Spp1+ Macrophages and Muscle Healing in Peripheral Artery Disease
This grant supports a physician-scientist in Duke's vascular surgery program to study how a specific macrophage type called Spp1+ macrophages affect muscle healing in people with peripheral artery disease.
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Aimed at people with rotator cuff tears, the grant investigates how a personalized exercise program might lead to better shoulder function and fewer surgeries.
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Home walking program for men on active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer
This project sees if a year-long home treadmill walking program can change cancer-related markers and help men with low-grade prostate cancer on active surveillance avoid early treatment.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.