Effect of Different Types of Lower-Limb Exercise on Blood Pressure in Hypertensive People: A Randomized, Double-blind Controlled Clinical Trial

Objectives: The current study aimed at determining the immediate and long-lasting effects of eccentric and concentric exercises on hypertension in individuals with high blood pressure. Methods: A total of 45 hypertensive volunteers were randomly assigned to three intervention groups as eccentric exercise (n = 15), concentric exercise (n = 15), and control (n = 15) groups. All the volunteers underwent exercise interventions for four weeks, three sessions per week (12 sessions in total) as treadmill walking with +10% gradient (concentric group), -10% gradient (eccentric group), or neutral gradient. Before the intervention, immediately after the first session of the intervention, after the end of the intervention, and 48 hours after the end of the intervention, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and maximum oxygen consumption were measured and compared between the groups. Results: The positive gradient group had higher diastolic blood pressure 48 h after the intervention than the negative and neutral gradient groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the other study variables between eccentric and concentric exercise groups (P > 0.05). Statistical analysis showed that eccentric exercises immediately reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05). Eccentric and constrictive exercises reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure for the long term (P < 0.05). Exonerative and constrictive exercises improved the heart rate, maximum oxygen consumption, and systolic blood and diastolic blood pressure in the short and long term (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Eccentric and concentric exercises with immediate and long-lasting effects improved systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as heart rate and maximum oxygen consumption. No significant difference was found between the two types of exercises in terms of the variables studied.