Aquatic treadmill training reduces blood pressure reactivity to physical stress

Brad S. Lambert, Nicholas P. Greene, Alex T. Carradine, Dustin P. Joubert, James D. Fluckey, Steven E. Riechman, Stephen F. Crouse

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: Endurance exercise may reduce blood pressure and improve vasodilatory capacity, thereby blunting the hypertensive response to stress. Therefore, we sought to test the efficacy of a novel model of low-impact endurance training, the aquatic treadmill (ATM), to improve blood pressure (BP) parameters. Methods: Sixty sedentary adults were randomized to 12-wk of either ATM (n = 36 [19 males and 17 females], 41 ± 2 yr, 173.58 ± 1.58 cm, 93.19 ± 3.15 kg) or land-based treadmill (LTM, n = 24 [11 males, 13 females], 42 ± 2 yr, 170.39 ± 1.94 cm, 88.14 ± 3.6 kg) training, three sessions per week, progressing to 500 kcal per session, 85% V̇O2max. The maximal Bruce treadmill test protocol was performed before and after training with BP measured before, at the end of each stage, and for 5 min after exercise testing. Twelve subjects (five ATM and seven LTM) volunteered for biopsies of the vastus lateralis before and after training, and muscle samples were assessed for endothelial nitric oxide synthase content. Data collected during exercise testing were analyzed using group by training ANCOVA repeated across training, α = 0.05. Results: ATM but not LTM training significantly reduced resting diastolic BP (-3.2 mm Hg), exercise systolic BP (range 9-18.2 mm Hg lower for each exercise stage), diastolic BP (3.2-8.1 mm Hg), mean arterial pressure (4.8-8.3 mm Hg, lower than LTM posttraining), and pulse pressure (7.5-15 mm Hg) during stages of exercise stress and recovery (P < 0.05). In addition, an increase (+31%) in skeletal muscle endothelial nitric oxide synthase content after training (P < 0.05) occurred in only the ATM group. Body mass (-1.27 kg) and V̇O2max (+3.6 mL·kg·min) changes were significant for both groups (P < 0.001). Conclusion: ATM training can reduce BP reactivity to physical stress.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)809-816
Number of pages8
JournalMedicine and science in sports and exercise
Volume46
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2014

Keywords

  • Aerobic exercise
  • enos
  • hemodynamic
  • hypertension

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
  • Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

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