Every time we hear more about the need to practice some kind of physical exercise to keep our Health safe, regardless of the physical form and circumstances of each one. Aerobic, cardio, strength, resistance … there are for all tastes and needs, and in all cases it is a good habit for Maintain obesity at bay and protect the heart.
However, a scientific study carried out by experts from the Canadian University of Saskatchewan, and published in the magazine ‘Journal of Physical Activity and Health’, shows that there is an even better gesture than walking, riding a bicycle or going to the gym to get fit. In the investigation they conclude that, the best of all for Reducing high blood pressure figures (hypertension) are stretching.
Walk or stretch, what is more effective for hypertension?
For many years, walking has been the main recommendation of experts to combat high voltage figures (among other measures). Hypertension is one of the main reasons that place us in Risk against cardiovascular diseasesso that the diet and exercise become allies in case they need to lower it.
The new discovery, however, places far from aerobic exercises such as walking, stretching, even though It does not eliminate from the equation the fact that walking is still a good idea. In the words of one of the authors of the study, Phil Chilibeck, “everyone thinks that stretching is simply to stretch the muscles, but what usually ignores in general is that, when stretching the muscles, the blood vessels are also stretched and the low pressure by decreasing the stiffness of the arteries (blood flows better).”
This has been the study that relates stretching and low voltage
To carry out the research, scientists randomly divided 40 average men and women in two groups during two months of monitoring. A group wore a stretching routine for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, while the other group strongly walked that same period of time. All of them were patients with high blood pressure.
At the end of the process, it was discovered that Stretching obtained higher blood pressure reductions In all cases. The only thing that could be highlighted is that the group of those who were lost more body fat, something absolutely essential to avoid cardiovascular risk. Therefore, the definitive conclusion is that people who walk to reduce their high blood pressure should continue to do so, although adding stretch sessions. That would be the ideal scenario.
“People who read our research should not think that it is not worth doing aerobic activity; on the contrary, walking or bicycle has beneficial effects on fat, but also in cholesterol and blood sugar.” As an added advantage: Stretching can be carried out anywherebeing able to adapt to the ailments of each one because they can be done softly. Another good idea is, for example, starting in yoga to obtain the benefits of stretching.
References
Jongbum Ko, Dalton Deprez, Keely Shaw, Jane Alcorn, Thomas Hadjistavropoulos, Corey Tomczak, Heather Foulds, Philip D. Chilibeck. ‘Stretching is Superior to Brisk Walking for Reducing Blood Pressure in People With High–Normal Blood Pressure or Stage I Hypertension’. Publicado en Journal of Physical Activity and Health. Consultado online en https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/18/1/article-p21.xml el 23 de marzo de 2025.
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