Did you know?
Elevated blood pressure (BP) is one of the major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. One third of Australians over the age of 18 have high blood pressure, with 68% of cases being uncontrolled without appropriate exercise intervention.
Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure.
In most cases, the first line treatment to reduce BP is initiation of lifestyle changes, of which regular aerobic exercise is a principal component. Aerobic and resistance activities remain the cornerstone of exercise-based management of blood pressure, but recent work has uncovered variations on traditional delivery of exercise, such as high intensity interval training (HIIT) and a new exercise modality, isometric resistance training (IRT) may offer alternative management regimens. Exercise Physiologists, as well as other health care professionals, play an important role in helping to achieve BP control in patients with hypertension by reinforcing healthy lifestyle habits and prescribing appropriate exercise.
Check out the ESSA Position statement below for further information on Exercise and high blood pressure (hypertension).
Comments