Key result
Bilateral isometric handgrip exercise demonstrates that neuromuscular fatigue moderately correlates with BP and HR responses.
Why the study?
Isometric handgrip exercise is a promising nonpharmacological intervention for blood pressure management, but the influence of intensity, duration, and muscle mass variations on neuromuscular fatigue and blood pressure changes was unclear.
How do variations in intensity, duration, and muscle mass of isometric handgrip exercise affect neuromuscular fatigue and post-exercise blood pressure responses?
How do variations in intensity, duration, and muscle mass of isometric handgrip exercise affect neuromuscular fatigue and post-exercise blood pressure responses?
Effect estimate: r = -0.53
p-value: p=<0.05
Fatigue of specific forearm muscles during isometric handgrip exercise may influence the efficacy of post-exercise cardiovascular responses.
Muscle fatigue may modulate BP responses to IHE; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
Background Isometric handgrip exercise (IHE) has emerged as a promising nonpharmacological intervention for blood pressure management. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the intensity, duration, and muscle mass factors of IHE protocol variation on the relationship between neuromuscular fatigue and blood pressure changes (systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR)). Methods Sixteen participants completed one standard protocol (A) and three protocol variations (B, C, and D) in four visits separated by 7 days between visits. The protocols included: (A) unilateral IHE at 30% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for 2 min for four bouts, (B) unilateral IHE at 45% MVC for 2 min for four bouts, (C) unilateral IHE at 30% MVC for 3 min for four bouts, and (D) bilateral IHE at 30% MVC for 2 min for four bouts. The root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MDF) of surface electromyography were used to quantify muscle fatigue of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), extensor carpi radialis longus (ECR), flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU). Results During Protocol D, FDS RMS displayed a moderate negative correlation with DBP ( r = −0.53, p < 0.05). Additionally, ECR demonstrated moderate positive correlations with HR ( r = 0.58, p < 0.05), SBP ( r = 0.52, p < 0.05), and DBP ( r = 0.51, p < 0.05). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that fatigue of ECR and FDS may affect the efficacy of cardiovascular responses by isometric contraction exercise training.
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Wang et al. (2026) studied this question. Isometric handgrip exercise protocol variations vs. Standard protocol (unilateral IHE at 30% MVC for 2 min) was evaluated on Relationship between neuromuscular fatigue and blood pressure changes (r = -0.53, p=<0.05). Bilateral isometric handgrip exercise demonstrated that fatigue of the ECR and FDS muscles moderately correlated with blood pressure and heart rate responses (r=-0.53 to 0.58, p<0.05).
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