Impact of dynamic explosive resistance exercise with elastic bands on pulse pressure in hypertensive older adults: a randomized crossover study

Abstract

Objective 

This study aimed to evaluate the acute responses of pulse pressure (PP), SBP, and DBP to dynamic explosive resistance exercise (DERE) with elastic resistance bands in hypertensive older adults.

Methods 

Eighteen hypertensive older adults were randomly assigned to participate in DERE and control sessions. PP, SBP, and DBP were measured before (baseline) and after each session (immediately, 10, and 20 min after the session). The DERE protocol has five sets of two consecutive exercises.

Results 

There was an important clinical decrease in PP (Δ = −7.8 mmHg; d_z = 0.7) and in DBP (Δ = −6.3 mmHg; d_z = 0.6) favoring the exercise session post-20 min in the intersession comparison. DERE also promoted lowering levels in SBP (140.3 ± 16.0 vs. 126.2 ± 14.3 mmHg; Δ = −14.1 mmHg; P = 0.04) with a large effect size (d_z = 0.9) post-20 min when compared to the control session.

Conclusion 

Our findings indicate that DERE with elastic resistance bands improved SBP in hypertensive older adults. In addition, our results support the hypothesis that DERE can an important clinical decrease in PP and DBP. According to this, professionals may have additional exercise training possibilities with elastic resistance bands when prescribing resistance exercises for systemic arterial hypertension treatment in this population.