The results of 270 randomized controlled trials show that this type of physical exercise is the most effective against hypertension.
Among its many benefits, sport is also excellent for regulating blood pressure. Hypertensive people are invited to do so as regularly as possible, but also the entire population since, as a reminder, France has 17 million hypertensive people, more than 6 million who don’t know it. However, high blood pressure is one of the main causes of cardiovascular complications (myocardial infarction, stroke), renal (kidney failure) or cognitive (dementia). But which sport should you choose and do you necessarily have to do the hardest one to get results? No, according to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicinehaving combined 270 randomized controlled trials involving 15,827 participants in total.
It lowers the two digits of the blood pressure
Aerobic, resistance, cardio, isometric exercises… The authors measured the systolic blood pressure (highest number) and blood pressure diastolic (lowest figure) volunteers after two workouts per week and then compared them with those of a control group who did not do sports. Result: the most effective sport to do lowering both digits of blood pressure was isometric training. “Reductions in blood pressure after training aerobic were 4.49/2.53 mmHg; 4.55/3.04 mmHg after training in dynamic resistance ; 6.04/2.54 mmHg after combined training; 4.08/2.50 mmHg after HIIT ; and 8.24/4 mmHg after isometric exercise training” indicated the researchers knowing that the normal blood pressure retained was 130/85 mmHg (or “13/8”). Isometric training involves contracting a muscle and holding it at maximum tension without changing its length, without moving. This is also called “static” exercise. Among these exercises, scientists observed that the most effective in reducing systolic pressure were squats performed with your back to the wall or “chair exercise”. Running (aerobic exercise) was the most beneficial to decrease diastolic pressure but had no effect on systolic pressure. Hence the interest in favoring isometric training for researchers as it generally allows the two elements of pressure to be lowered.
More research is now needed to determine why isometric exercises are better for lowering blood pressure than other types of workouts. In the meantime, the authors point out that, to stabilize blood pressure, it is also important to maintain a healthy weight, have a balanced diet, reduce salt consumption, not drink too much alcohol and follow treatment. medication prescribed by the doctor.
- High blood pressure in France: 17 million hypertensive people, more than 6 million of whom are unaware of their disease, Public Health France 2023