Key result
Immersed HIIT reduces 24-hour systolic BP by ~5 mmHg over two weeks.
Why the study?
Hypertension guidelines recommend moderate-intensity continuous training, but alternative exercise modalities like dry land or water-based high-intensity interval training have been less widely studied.
Does high-intensity interval training on an immersed ergocycle reduce ambulatory blood pressure in individuals with elevated blood pressure compared to dry land training?
RCT (n=42)
Randomly assigned
Does high-intensity interval training on an immersed ergocycle reduce ambulatory blood pressure in individuals with elevated blood pressure compared to dry land training?
p-value: p=0.02
A 2-week program of high-intensity interval training on an immersed ergocycle significantly reduced 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in individuals with elevated baseline blood pressure, unlike dry land training.
Supports short-term immersed HIIT for ambulatory BP reduction in elevated BP; extends aquatic exercise evidence beyond land-based training.
BACKGROUND: Hypertension guidelines recommend moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) for the primary or secondary prevention of hypertension. However, alternative modalities, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on dry land or in water, have been studied less widely. AIM: To assess chronic blood pressure (BP) response to a 2-week training programme involving six sessions of either MICT or HIIT performed on dry land or HIIT performed in an immersed condition, in participants with baseline office systolic/diastolic BP (SBP/DBP)≥130/85mmHg. METHODS: We randomly assigned 42 individuals (mean age 65±7 years; 52% men) with baseline office SBP/DBP≥130/85mmHg to perform six 24-minute sessions on an ergocycle (three times a week for 2 weeks) of either MICT on dry land, HIIT on dry land or HIIT in a swimming pool, and assessed BP responses using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. RESULTS: While 2-week MICT and HIIT on dry land modified none of the 24-hour average haemodynamic variables significantly, immersed HIIT induced a significant decrease in 24-hour BP (SBP -5.1±7.3 [P=0.02]; DBP -2.9±4.1mmHg [P=0.02]) and daytime BP (SBP -6.2±8.3 [P=0.015]; DBP -3.4±4.0mmHg [P=0.008]), and slightly improved 24-hour and daytime pulse wave velocity (PWV) (24-hour PWV -0.17±0.23m/s [P=0.015]; daytime PWV -0.18±0.24m/s [P=0.02]). CONCLUSION: HIIT on an immersed stationary ergocycle is an innovative method that should be considered as an efficient non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension. As such, it should now be implemented in a larger cohort to study its long-term effects on the cardiovascular system.
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Sosner et al. (2019) conducted an RCT in Hypertension (n=42). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) in an immersed condition vs. Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) or HIIT on dry land was evaluated on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (p=0.02). High-intensity interval training on an immersed ergocycle for 2 weeks significantly decreased 24-hour systolic blood pressure by 5.1 mmHg (P=0.02) compared to baseline.
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