From Newsweek · · 1m 10s
Wall Squats Lower Blood Pressure
Weekly wall squats reduce blood pressure for high-normal readers.
In brief
Weekly wall squats reduce blood pressure for high-normal readers. Weekly wall squats lower blood pressure for adults with high-normal readings. Originally reported by Newsweek.
Study Finds Wall Squats Lower Blood Pressure
Researchers found wall squats once or twice weekly reduce systolic blood pressure in adults with high-normal readings.
“This study has shown that four weeks of isometric wall squat exercise lowers resting blood pressure in people with high-normal blood pressure”
Exercise Frequency Matters
Three times weekly exercise showed the largest blood pressure reductions, while once weekly maintained gains for four weeks.
“The biggest reduction was recorded among those exercising three times weekly. Their systolic blood pressure fell by an average of 13.73 mmHg”
Participants Had High-Normal Readings
All 100 adults had systolic blood pressure between 120 and 140 mmHg, ranging from normal to high-normal levels.
“Systolic readings between 130 and 139 mmHg fall into the high-normal category under expert guidelines”
Training Stops, Gains Reverse
Participants who stopped exercising after four weeks lost their blood pressure improvements, returning to control group levels by eight weeks.
“The group who had stopped doing the isometric exercises after the initial four-week period showed a reversal of their blood pressure to levels not significantly different from the control group”
Study Published in BMJ
The research was published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, showing isometric exercise benefits for blood pressure management.
“The study demonstrates that while lower frequency isometric exercise training may be sufficient to maintain blood pressure reductions over the short term”
Key Findings
Four weeks of wall squats three times weekly reduced systolic blood pressure by 13.73 mmHg, with once weekly maintaining gains for four weeks.
“It is then possible to reduce the training frequency to once a week for at least another four weeks before the reductions in resting blood pressure start to revert back to previous levels”
Next Steps
Longer studies are needed to determine if less frequent isometric exercise preserves blood pressure benefits over months or years.
“Researchers cautioned that the maintenance period lasted only four weeks. Longer studies will be needed to establish whether less frequent isometric exercise can preserve the same benefits over months or years”
The headline
Weekly wall squats lower blood pressure for adults with high-normal readings.
