Summary Venous leg ulcers (open sores) can be caused by a blockage or breakdown in the veins of the leg. Compression, using bandages or hosiery (stockings), can help heal ulcers, however, they do not always work. Venous ulcer patients are often encouraged to exercise, but little is known about the effects and safety of exercise training in this population. This study therefore tried out supervised exercise training in people in the U.K. who are being treated with compression for a venous leg ulcer. Participants were randomly allocated to receive usual care, or usual care plus a 12‐week supervised exercise programme. The exercise programme involved three sessions per week, with each session involving a combination of walking, cycling and strength and flexibility exercises for the leg muscles. Participants were followed for up to 1 year, with data collected on ulcer healing, quality of life and healthcare use (e.g. visits to GP). Thirty‐nine people were recruited, with 18 being allocated to the exercise group. All but two participants completed the study. The overall exercise session attendance rate was 79%, with 13 participants (72%) completing all sessions. There were no serious adverse events (unwanted side effects). The average ulcer healing time was shorter for the exercise group: 13 versus 35 weeks. These findings support the feasibility of supervised exercise training in people being treated with compression for a venous leg ulcer. A larger study is needed to confirm the effects on ulcer healing and if exercise is cost‐effective.

Summary 下肢静脉溃疡(伤口)会因为下肢血管阻塞或损坏而引起。使用绷带或袜子进行压迫有助于治愈溃疡,但效果并不稳定。静脉溃疡患者通常会受到鼓励去锻炼身体,但是有关体育锻炼对该人群是否有效和安全的信息却很少。因此,本研究尝试让使用压迫法治疗下肢静脉溃疡的英国患者在有人监护下进行体育锻炼。参与者经过随机分配,接受常规护理,或者常规护理加12周的受监护锻炼计划。锻炼计划每周三次,每次锻炼结合步行、骑单车以及针对腿部肌肉力量和灵活性的锻炼项目。对患者进行长达一年的追踪,收集了有关溃疡治愈、生活质量和就医情况(例如GP就诊)的数据。研究共招募了三十九人,其中18人被分配到锻炼组。仅有两名参与者未完成研究。总体锻炼出勤率为79%,13名参与者(72%)完成所有锻炼项目。未出现严重的不良事件(不良副作用)。锻炼组的平均溃疡治愈时间较短:13周对比35周。这些发现验证了受监护的体育锻炼对使用压迫法治疗下肢静脉溃疡患者的可行性。需要更大规模的研究确认对溃疡愈合的效果以及锻炼是否具有成本效益。