Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Eight weeks of stretching training reduces aortic wave reflection magnitude and blood pressure in obese postmenopausal women

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 28, pages 246–250 (2014)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

The augmentation index (AIx, a marker of wave reflection) is reduced and peripheral artery vasodilation increased following acute stretching exercise. We examined the effects of stretching training (ST) on arterial function, blood pressure (BP) and sympathetic vasomotor modulation. Twenty-eight obese postmenopausal women (57±1 years) were randomized to a ST (n=14) or no-exercise control (CON) group ( n=14). ST included stretching exercises 3 days week−1 for 8 weeks. Brachial (b) and aortic (a) systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), carotid–femoral PWV (aPWV), femoral–ankle PWV (faPWV), AIx, low-frequency component of SBP (LFSBP) and sit/reach score (SRS) were measured before and after interventions. There were significant decreases in bSBP (P<0.05), aSBP (P<0.01), aDBP (P<0.05), aMAP (P<0.01), aAIx (P<0.05) and LFSBP (P<0.05) after ST compared with CON. SRS significantly (P<0.01) increased after ST but not after CON. There were no significant effects (P>0.05) on HR, baPWV, aPWV and faPWV after ST or CON. Eight weeks of ST decreases BP, AIx and LFSBP in obese postmenopausal women. Our findings show that ST reduces peripheral and central BP, wave reflection magnitude and vascular sympathetic activity in obese postmenopausal women with prehypertension and hypertension.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wykretowicz A, Adamska K, Guzik P, Krauze T, Wysocki H . Indices of vascular stiffness and wave reflection in relation to body mass index or body fat in healthy subjects. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2007; 34 (10): 1005–1009.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Russo C, Jin Z, Palmieri V, Homma S, Rundek T, Elkind MS et al. Arterial stiffness and wave reflection: sex differences and relationship with left ventricular diastolic function. Hypertension 2012; 60 (2): 362–368.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Staessen JA, van der Heijden-Spek JJ, Safar ME, Den Hond E, Gasowski J, Fagard RH et al. Menopause and the characteristics of the large arteries in a population study. J Hum Hypertens 2001; 15 (8): 511–518.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Zaydun G, Tomiyama H, Hashimoto H, Arai T, Koji Y, Yambe M et al. Menopause is an independent factor augmenting the age-related increase in arterial stiffness in the early postmenopausal phase. Atherosclerosis 2006; 184 (1): 137–142.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Adamopoulos D, Vyssoulis G, Karpanou E, Kyvelou SM, Argacha JF, Cokkinos D et al. Environmental determinants of blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and central hemodynamics. J Hypertens 2010; 28 (5): 903–909.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Nichols WW, Denardo SJ, Wilkinson IB, McEniery CM, Cockcroft J, O'Rourke MF . Effects of arterial stiffness, pulse wave velocity, and wave reflections on the central aortic pressure waveform. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich) 2008; 10 (4): 295–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Collier SR, Kanaley JA, Carhart R Jr., Frechette V, Tobin MM, Hall AK et al. Effect of 4 weeks of aerobic or resistance exercise training on arterial stiffness, blood flow and blood pressure in pre- and stage-1 hypertensives. J Hum Hypertens 2008; 22 (10): 678–686.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Miura H, Nakagawa E, Takahashi Y . Influence of group training frequency on arterial stiffness in elderly women. Eur J Appl Physiol 2008; 104 (6): 1039–1044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Miyachi M . Effects of resistance training on arterial stiffness: a meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 2013; 47 (6): 393–396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Figueroa A, Park SY, Seo DY, Sanchez-Gonzalez MA, Baek YH . Combined resistance and endurance exercise training improves arterial stiffness, blood pressure, and muscle strength in postmenopausal women. Menopause 2011; 18 (9): 980–984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Cipriani DJ, Terry ME, Haines MA, Tabibnia AP, Lyssanova O . Effect of stretch frequency and sex on the rate of gain and rate of loss in muscle flexibility during a hamstring-stretching program: a randomized single-blind longitudinal study. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26 (8): 2119–2129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Vaquero-Cristobal R, Martinez Gonzalez-Moro I, Alacid Carceles F, Ros Simon E . Strength, flexibility, balance, resistance and flexibility assessment according to body mass index in active older women. Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol 2013; 48 (4): 171–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Yamamoto K, Kawano H, Gando Y, Iemitsu M, Murakami H, Sanada K et al. Poor trunk flexibility is associated with arterial stiffening. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2009; 297 (4): H1314–H1318.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hotta K . Stretching exercise improves vascular endothelial function and peripheral circulation in patients with ischemic heart disease. Eur Heart J 2010; 31: 382.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Munir S, Jiang B, Guilcher A, Brett S, Redwood S, Marber M et al. Exercise reduces arterial pressure augmentation through vasodilation of muscular arteries in humans. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2008; 294 (4): H1645–H1650.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Figueroa A, Vicil F . Post-exercise aortic hemodynamic responses to low-intensity resistance exercise with and without vascular occlusion. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2011; 21 (3): 431–436.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Cortez-Cooper MY, Anton MM, Devan AE, Neidre DB, Cook JN, Tanaka H . The effects of strength training on central arterial compliance in middle-aged and older adults. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 2008; 15 (2): 149–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Mueck-Weymann M, Janshoff G, Mueck H . Stretching increases heart rate variability in healthy athletes complaining about limited muscular flexibility. Clin Auton Res 2004; 14 (1): 15–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yamashina A, Tomiyama H, Takeda K, Tsuda H, Arai T, Hirose K et al. Validity, reproducibility, and clinical significance of noninvasive brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity measurement. Hypertens Res 2002; 25 (3): 359–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Nichols WW, Singh BM . Augmentation index as a measure of peripheral vascular disease state. Curr Opin Cardiol 2002; 17 (5): 543–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wilkinson IB, MacCallum H, Flint L, Cockcroft JR, Newby DE, Webb DJ . The influence of heart rate on augmentation index and central arterial pressure in humans. J Physiol 2000; 525 (1): 263–270.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Chemla D, Nitenberg A, Teboul JL, Richard C, Monnet X, le Clesiau H et al. Subendocardial viability ratio estimated by arterial tonometry: a critical evaluation in elderly hypertensive patients with increased aortic stiffness. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2008; 35 (8): 909–915.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Pagani M, Montano N, Porta A, Malliani A, Abboud FM, Birkett C et al. Relationship between spectral components of cardiovascular variabilities and direct measures of muscle sympathetic nerve activity in humans. Circulation 1997; 95 (6): 1441–1448.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Namasivayam M, Adji A, O'Rourke MF . Influence of aortic pressure wave components determined noninvasively on myocardial oxygen demand in men and women. Hypertension 2011; 57 (2): 193–200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lieber A, Millasseau S, Bourhis L, Blacher J, Protogerou A, Levy BI et al. Aortic wave reflection in women and men. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2010; 299 (1): H236–H242.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Wiles JD, Coleman DA, Swaine IL . The effects of performing isometric training at two exercise intensities in healthy young males. Eur J Appl Physiol 108 (3): 419–428.

  27. Williams AD, Ahuja KD, Almond JB, Robertson IK, Ball MJ . Progressive resistance training might improve vascular function in older women but not in older men. J Sci Med Sport 16 (1): 76–81.

  28. Millen AM, Norton GR, Avidon I, Woodiwiss AJ . Effects of short-term exercise-training on aortic systolic pressure augmentation in overweight and obese individuals. Eur J Appl Physiol 2013; 113 (7): 1793–1803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Figueroa A, Arjmandi BH, Wong A, Sanchez-Gonzalez MA, Simonavice E, Daggy B . Effects of hypocaloric diet, low-intensity resistance exercise with slow movement, or both on aortic hemodynamics and muscle mass in obese postmenopausal women. Menopause 2013; 20 (9): 967–972.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Taaffe DR, Galvao DA, Sharman JE, Coombes JS . Reduced central blood pressure in older adults following progressive resistance training. J Hum Hypertens 2007; 21 (1): 96–98.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Takazawa K, Tanaka N, Takeda K, Kurosu F, Ibukiyama C . Underestimation of vasodilator effects of nitroglycerin by upper limb blood pressure. Hypertension 1995; 26 (3): 520–523.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Heffernan KS, Edwards DG, Rossow L, Jae SY, Fernhall B . External mechanical compression reduces regional arterial stiffness. Eur J Appl Physiol 2007; 101 (6): 735–741.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Nichols WW . Clinical measurement of arterial stiffness obtained from noninvasive pressure waveforms. Am J Hypertens 2005; 18 (1 Pt 2): 3S–10S.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Wang YY, Chen YH, Guo DJ, Lin CC, Wang WK . The benefit of stretching along the artery. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2008; 2008: 2451–2452.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Simao R, Lemos A, Salles B, Leite T, Oliveira E, Rhea M et al. The influence of strength, flexibility, and simultaneous training on flexibility and strength gains. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25 (5): 1333–1338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Orly Reznik, Carter Egly, Chelsea Ready, Lincoln Little, Travis Lewek, John Kim, Ilisa Lee and Nina Stark for their assistance with training.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    A Wong & A Figueroa

Authors
  1. A Wong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A Figueroa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A Figueroa.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wong, A., Figueroa, A. Eight weeks of stretching training reduces aortic wave reflection magnitude and blood pressure in obese postmenopausal women. J Hum Hypertens 28, 246–250 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2013.98

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2013.98

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links