The authors examined the relationship between the ankle pressure, or pressure gradient on the one hand, and the walking distance and different actions, i.e. equalting and standing on tip toes, on the other hand. In 56 male patients with obliterating atherosclerosis, the first stage showed both pressure parameters as closely correlated to the final claudication distance, but not to the actions indicated above. At the second stage, 62 persons showed both the initial and final claudication distances as dependent on the poststenotic pressure as well as on the pressure gradient. Stepwise regression analysis showed a significant dependence of both distances on the lowest pressure measured on four crural arteries. The closest correlation [R = 0.98] was found between the initial and final claudication distances which persisted even after elimination of all pressure parameters.