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ALTERNATIVES, August 2004, Vol 10, No. 14, pp. 107-108.
Hands-On Blood Prcssure Fix HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA--A research kinesiologist has discovered a novel method which you can use to help lower your blood pressure. Dr. Nell McCartney at McMaster University found that isometric hand exercise can significantly lower systolic blood pressure in older patients. Dr. McCartney's study involved 18 patients, aver*age age of 67.5, with chronic high blood pressure. Most of the patients had been on high blood pres*sure medication for an average of 9 years, and their blood pressures had leveled out at about 140 mm Hg systolic and 85 mm Hg diastolic. Half performed the exercise and the other half did not. Using a gripping device that could measure 30 percent of each individual's maximum grip, subjects applied continuous pressure for one minute and then relaxed for a minute, then held the pressure again con*tinuously for one minute. This sequence was repeated four times, three days a week, for ten weeks. At the end of ten weeks, those performing the exer*cise experienced an average 19 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure compared to no drop in those not doing the exercise. A 19-point drop in blood pressure after such a simple exercise is amazing. Remember, these are individuals who had already been using medication to lower their blood pressure for an average of nine years. (Med Sci Sport Exerc 03;35(2):251-6) The only difficulty I see with performing this exercise at home would be determining and maintaining only 30 percent of your maximum grip. The researchers utilized what is called a hand dynamometer. It can be used to measure your grip strength, and can also be used to do the above exercise. Just squeeze it as hard as you can, note that pressure, then multiply that number by 0.30 to get your target pressure. Unfortunately, devices like these can cost more than $200. A dynamometer of this type can be purchased on the Internet from www.wisdomking.com. One of the least expensive hydraulic models is made by Baseline and measures up to 200 pounds of pressure, which is more than adequate unless you're a professional arm wrestler, etc. ... A less-expensive option than a hand dynamometer would be to purchase an inexpensive pair of those spring-type hand grip strengtheners from an athletic store. Just make sure the spring is stronger than you can compress since you want to try and maintain a pressure of 30 percent of your grip strength for one minute. This type of grip strengthener can be purchased for less than $10. I need to mention that rubber balls, etc. probably won't work. To be effective, your grip must be fairly sustained and intense. An even better device is called the 6 Spring HandGrip Strengthener. It has 6 different springs that can be added or removed to vary the tension. It sells for $13 from www.sportsunlimited.com. . . . (Note: Actually, it's sportsunlimitedinc.com) Just exactly how this exercise reduces blood pressure isn't yet fully understood. Dr. McCartney is using ultra Doppler sound waves to evaluate the arteries during the exercise, and has found that it apparently somehow activates the parasympathetic nervous sys*tem (the "rest and digest" part of your nervous system) which decreases the heart rate and blood pressure. It also appears that the exercise may improve endothelial function. As we age, our arteries tend to become more rigid, and the endothelial cells that line the arter*ies release less nitric oxide (NO), a compound which helps relax and dilate the blood vessels. Regardless of how this very simple exercise works, it's an easy, almost fun way to help lower high blood pressure. If you need to drop your blood pressure, give it a try. Since I'm on the subject of grip strength, I'm sure there are many people who might be hesitant or unable to do this exercise due to the problem of carpal tun*nel syndrome. This involves inflammation of tendons and nerve irritation within the small bony and fibrous tunnel of the wrist. I've written about this problem in the 'past (Vol. 1, No. 21), and in addition to increasing your vitamin B6 intake (to between 50 and 150 milligrams a day) and seeing a chiropractor who can adjust any misaligned bones in the wrist, strengthen*ing your forearm and grip will help keep the problem from recurring. Another great tool for arm and grip strengthening is a gyroscopic ball. The original brand was called the Dynabee (or Therabee) and another version is the DynaFlex Gyro Ball. Look for one in your local athletic goods store, because you may have to have someone demonstrate how they work before you buy one. They can do wonders for getting rid of wrist pain and strengthening your grip and forearm. (I wouldn't recommend them for use in reducing blood pressure however. It's a different mechanism, so I have no idea if they'd give you the same effect.) ___________________________ It would be great if additional research confirms the efficacy of this approach to treating hypertension! And we'd have to tweak the notion that isometrics are always bad for people with high blood pressure. The one part of Dr. Williams' article that I don't get is his recommendation to use a spring gripper that's impossible to fully compress in order to maintain a pressure of 30% of one's grip strength for one minute. If I wanted to try this, I'd test my grip max on my Ivanko SuperGripper and then reset the spring positions to give me 30% of that. This would be consistent with how to adjust the target pressure using a hand dynamometer. |
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On 31 Jul 2004 08:58:46 +0950, rev wrote:
wrote in news:[email protected] 4ax.com: ALTERNATIVES, August 2004, Vol 10, No. 14, pp. 107-108. Hands-On Blood Prcssure Fix HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA--A research kinesiologist has discovered a novel method which you can use to help lower your blood pressure. Dr. Nell McCartney at McMaster University found that isometric hand exercise can significantly lower systolic blood pressure in older patients. Dr. McCartney's study involved 18 patients, aver*age age of 67.5, with chronic high blood pressure. Most of the patients had been on high blood pres*sure medication for an average of 9 years, and their blood pressures had leveled out at about 140 mm Hg systolic and 85 mm Hg diastolic. Half performed the exercise and the other half did not. snip Just exactly how this exercise reduces blood pressure isn't yet fully understood. Dr. McCartney is using ultra Doppler sound waves to evaluate the arteries during the exercise, and has found that it apparently somehow activates the parasympathetic nervous sys*tem (the "rest and digest" part of your nervous system) which decreases the heart rate and blood pressure. It also appears that the exercise may improve endothelial function. As we age, our arteries tend to become more rigid, and the endothelial cells that line the arter*ies release less nitric oxide (NO), a compound which helps relax and dilate the blood vessels. Regardless of how this very simple exercise works, it's an easy, almost fun way to help lower high blood pressure. If you need to drop your blood pressure, give it a try. snip In China they use steel balls for as long as people can recall (I am told). Essentially its 2 steel balls that are held in the palm and fingers and rotated slowly. the exercise looks very mild but after a while you can really work up a sweat. The older Chinese swear by it as a cardiovascular improver. Might be based on the same principle. I have such a 'toy' and while "working up a sweat" might be a trifle fanciful Bob, they certainly play hell with the flexors and extensors of the fingers! Have a good weekend - I intend to!! ;o) |
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