People with high blood pressure are better off having a stretch at home rather than going out for a walk if they want to lower their blood pressure, study finds.
University of Saskatchewan researchers had a group of 40 high blood pressure sufferers split into two groups – one did stretching and one did walking.
Half an hour a day of ‘whole body’ stretching exercises reduced all types of blood pressure by more than a brisk walk over the same amount of time, they found.
A combination of both would not necessarily reduce blood pressure by more than stretching exercises, though it would bring other general health benefits, they said.
People with high blood pressure are better off having a stretch at home rather than going out for a walk if they want to lower their blood pressure, study finds. Stock image
University of Saskatchewan researchers had a group of 40 high blood pressure sufferers split into two groups – one did stretching and one did walking. Stock image
The average age of people involved in the study was 61, it was designed to look at the impact of different exercise types on older sufferers of stage one hypertension.
For the study one group did half an hour a day of stretching for five days a week over an eight week period, while the other did the same amount of ‘brisk’ walking.
Before and after the study, Chilibeck’s team measured participants’ blood pressure while they were sitting, lying down, and over 24 hours using a portable monitor.
The results, published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, found stretching was better for reducing blood pressure – a leading risk factor for heart disease.
Walking, which many doctors recommend for patients, was not as effective at simply lowering blood pressure, however walkers lost more body fat than stretches.
Study author, professor Dr Phil Chilibeck, said everyone believes that stretching is just about stretching your muscles ahead of other activities.
‘But when you stretch your muscles, you’re also stretching all the blood vessels that feed into the muscle, including all the arteries,’ he said.
‘If you reduce the stiffness in your arteries, there’s less resistance to blood flow.’
Walking, which many doctors recommend for patients, was not as effective at simply lowering blood pressure, however walkers lost more body fat than stretches. Stock image
While previous studies have shown stretching can reduce blood pressure, this research is the first to pit walking against stretching in a head-to-head comparison in the same group of study participants.
People who are walking to reduce their high blood pressure should continue to do so, but also add in some stretching sessions, according to Chilibeck.
‘I don’t want people to come away from our research thinking they shouldn’t be doing some form of aerobic activity,’ he added.
‘Things like walking, biking, or cross- country skiing all have a positive effect on body fat, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar.’
However, stretching is a form of exercise that is easier to do, particularly for those in lockdown or with osteoarthritis and other ailments that prevent them from doing anything more strenuous, he added.
The professor said: ‘When you’re relaxing in the evening, instead of just sitting on the couch, you can get down on the floor and stretch while you’re watching TV.’
Another recent study by researchers from the University of Oxford found that there is ‘no limit’ to the benefits that can be gained in terms of heart health and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease from exercise.
Compared to those who exercised the least, those who got the most physical activity were 46 per cent less likely to develop problems with their heart.
Chilibeck and colleagues are now seeking funding to do a larger study involving more participants and to examine more than just blood pressure.
They’d like to explore some of the physiological reasons behind why stretching reduces blood pressure – such as arterial stiffness and changes in the body’s nervous system resulting from stretching.
The findings of the Canadian study have been published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.