The effect of isometric handgrip training on blood pressure

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of single-bout isometric handgrip training on systolic (BPS) and diastolic blood pressure (BPD). Healthy normotensive (BP<120/80 mmHg) (n=6) and prehypertensive (BPS 120–139 mmHg and/or BPD 80–89 mmHg) (n=6) women with mean age of 47.3±14.0 years, who did not take antihypertensive medicine, participated in the study. Blood pressure (BP) was measured with aneroid sphygmomanometer Riester Precisa N (Germany). Thereafter with the JAMAR hydraulic hand dynamometer (USA) maximal isometric contraction (MVC) was recorded. After a rest of 3 min, the subject was asked to perform the isometric contraction at 30% of MVC for 2 min and that was repeated for four times with rest of 1 min after each bout of contraction. BP was measured again after a rest of 3 min and 3 hrs. 3 min after isometric exercise no statistically significant changes in BPS and BPD was observed. But clinically meaningful BPS decrease was observed and confirmed by subgroup analysis with decrease in BPS among prehypertensive subjects. 3 hrs after isometric exercise BPS and BPD were significantly reduced and the decrease in BPS was also clinically meaningful. Subgroup findings showed among normotensive significant and clinically meaningful reduction in BPS and BPD, respectively, as well as clinically meaningful reduction in BPS among prehypertensive subjects. According to this study we suggest that isometric handgrip training could be considered as BP lowering training method.