Effect of Sustained Isometric Handgrip Training on Blood Pressure in Normotensive and Prehypertensive Population

BACKGROUND Prehypertension is common in adolescence and young adults and even normal blood pressure nowadays due to a marked increase in the sedentary lifestyle, job profile, psychological stress. Blood pressure (BP) in this age can linearly progress towards elevated levels of BP when associated with risk factors like body mass index (BMI). Along with lifestyle modifications, non-pharmacological interventions are also recommended to manage prehypertension and delay progression towards hypertension at a young age. Isometric handgrip training (IHGT) is emerging as a popular non-pharmacological therapy. Research has demonstrated hypotensive effects with IHGT in various sets when performed at 30 - 40 % maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). The purpose of the present study was to find the effect of isometric handgrip strength training (IHG) on blood pressure and pulse pressure in normotensive and prehypertensive population. METHODS An experimental study design where 26 participants meeting the inclusion criteria were selected by convenient sampling. They were equally grouped into normotensive and prehypertensive training groups after measurement of baseline BP. All of them performed five 2 - minute sustained isometric contractions, at 30 - 40 % of MVC, using 90 an inexpensive spring hand grip trainer, for six sessions per week for 2 weeks. MVC was determined by a hand dynamometer. Pre - to - post BP and PP were compared in the present study. RESULTS After 2 weeks, t-test and repeated measures of ANOVA revealed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) [Mean Difference 4, 9] and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) [Mean Difference – 5, 5] (P = 0.01) but PP did not change in normotensive (P - 0.64) and prehypertensives (P = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS Practicing IHGT using an inexpensive spring handgrip trainer for two weeks consecutively reduced blood pressure but not pulse pressure. KEY WORDS Isometric, Handgrip. Blood Pressure

Effect of Sex on Vascular Adaptations to Isometric Handgrip Training in Elderly Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Isometric handgrip training (IHT) promotes vascular adaptations in different populations. <b><i>Aims:</i></b> We assessed the sex differences in vascular adaptations of IHT in a sample of older adults with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Fifty-three older patients with symptomatic PAD (6 women and 13 men in IHT and 13 women and 21 men in the control group) participated in this study. The IHT group performed 3 sessions per week, for 8 weeks, consisting of 4 sets of isometric contractions for 2 min at 30% of maximum voluntary contraction and a 4-min interval between sets. The control group received a compression ball in order to minimize the placebo effects, representing sham training. Blood flow and brachial flow-mediated dilation were analyzed at before and after 8 weeks of intervention. We compared the responses (Δ = post-pre values) of each group (women control, women IHT, men control, and men IHT) with a Kruskal-Wallis test. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There were no differences in all groups after 8 weeks of IHT in Δ brachial diameter (<i>p</i> = 0.850), Δ flow-mediated dilation (<i>p</i> = 0.241), Δ time to peak diameter (<i>p</i> = 0.528), and Δ FMD/AUC (<i>p</i> = 0.397). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> There are no effects of sex on vascular adaptation after 8 weeks of IHT in older adults with symptomatic PAD.