High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” because it often has no symptoms and increases the risk of heart disease.
Because exercise can lower blood pressure without drugs, experts advise doctors to: prescribe it for people with high blood pressuredefined as greater than or equal to 130/80 mmHg.
But what kind of exercise is best?
Recent Research review It suggests isometric exercises, especially wall squats.
Unlike walking or running, which is all about movement, isometric exercise involves contracting your muscles and holding the position without moving for several minutes. It’s static, but very intense.let’s think board.
The paper, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that physical activity of all kinds, including cardio, strength training and high-intensity interval training, was “significantly effective” in lowering resting blood pressure.
However, isometric exercises worked best. It lowered systolic blood pressure (the number at the top of the reading) by 8 points and diastolic blood pressure (the number at the bottom) by 4 points, the authors write.
The findings are based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 270 randomized controlled trials involving more than 15,000 participants that examined the effects of different modes of exercise on resting blood pressure.
It’s not clear why isometric exercise is so effective, but it appears to be related to a unique physiological response to static muscle contraction, said study lead author Jamie Edwards. Says.
“Maintaining this contraction mechanically compresses the surrounding local blood vessels by the constricting muscles,” Edwards, a researcher and lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University in England, told TODAY.com.
“When this contraction is released, say standing up from a squatting position, there is a reactive surge in blood flow to the blood vessels, releasing molecules that (widen) them.”
How to do a wall squat:
of wall squat Edwards and colleagues found it to be the most effective individual exercise in the isometric category.
Simple, yet incredibly intense. Certified personal trainer Stephanie Mansour instructs people to lean against a wall with his feet hip-width apart and slide down into a squat. His leg should be far enough away from the wall so that his knee joint forms his 90-degree angle and his thigh is parallel to the floor.
Edwards suggests doing four wall squats lasting two minutes each, with rest intervals of one to four minutes. This he should do three times a week. He advises continuing to breathe normally during isometric contractions.
Repeating this pattern over several weeks is likely to result in a sustained drop in blood pressure, Edwards said.
Cardiologist opinion
Dr. Luke Ruffin, co-director of the Center for Blood Pressure Disorders at the Cleveland Clinic, says there’s no question that exercise is necessary to manage blood pressure.
However, the ultimate goal is to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack, and aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling and running is superior to isometric exercise in reducing cardiovascular risk. Research continues to show that, he said.
“Cardio training should be encouraged above all else,” Ruffin told TODAY.com.
He recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, broken up however people want. Studies show that the “Weekend Warrior,” who squeezed all exercise into his two days, Similar health benefits As someone who does short workouts more often.
Moderate-intensity activity means being able to carry on a conversation during the activity, says Ruffin.
Ruffin and Edwards believe that different types of exercise have different effects, so a combination of cardio, strength training, and high-intensity interval training is best, and isometric exercise is thought to complement these exercises. Says.
Who Should Avoid Isometric Exercise?
People with a history of an aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection should avoid it, Ruffin said.Women make up the majority of cases spontaneous coronary artery dissection — A tear or bleeding within the layers of the wall of the heart artery.
Ruffin warns that isometric exercise creates a sudden, acute load on the aorta, which can cause further damage.
How long does it take for exercise to lower blood pressure?
The study found that exercise was associated with an “immediate and significant drop” in systolic blood pressure (the upper limit of the measurement), which could last for almost 24 hours.this is known as hypotension after exercise.
the body is released nitric oxideThis widens blood vessels and improves blood flow, says Ruffin.
Vascular researcher Bethany Baron Gibbs, who studies cardiometabolic disease prevention and treatment, previously told TODAY.com that about three months of regular exercise are needed for lasting changes.
This article was originally published Today.com
