Key result
Stretching training appears to be a useful therapeutic intervention to improve cardiac autonomic function and heart rate variability in different populations.
Why the study?
Stretching has been proposed as an effective adjunct therapy for declines in cardiovascular health, warranting research into its effects on cardiac autonomic function and heart rate variability.
Does stretching exercise and training improve heart rate variability and cardiac autonomic function?
Does stretching exercise and training improve heart rate variability and cardiac autonomic function?
This review highlights stretching exercise as a potential adjunctive therapy to improve heart rate variability and cardiovascular health.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May support adjunctive stretching for HRV; leaves open confirmation in randomized trials.
Wong, A and Figueroa, A. Effects of acute stretching exercise and training on heart rate variability: A review. J Strength Cond Res 35(5): 1459-1466, 2021-Stretching (ST), an exercise modality widely used for flexibility improvement, has been recently proposed as an effective adjunct therapy for declines in cardiovascular health, warranting research into the effects of ST exercise on cardiac autonomic function (CAF). Heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) is a reliable measure of CAF, mainly the sympathetic and parasympathetic modulations of HR. A low HRV has been associated to increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Exercise interventions that enhance HRV are therefore seen as beneficial to cardiovascular health and are sought after. In this review, we discuss the effect of ST both acute and training on HRV. Stretching training seems to be a useful therapeutic intervention to improve CAF in different populations. Although the mechanisms by which ST training improves CAF are not yet well understood; increases in baroreflex sensitivity, relaxation, and nitric oxide bioavailability seem to play an important role.
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Wong et al. (2019) conducted a review in Declines in cardiovascular health. Stretching exercise and training was evaluated on Heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac autonomic function. Stretching training appears to be a useful therapeutic intervention to improve cardiac autonomic function and heart rate variability in different populations.
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