Abstract

Background: The endurance training plays a key role in maintaining not only the physical fitness but also overall wellness of an individual. It boosts up the immune system and cardiovascular endurance. The training responses were found to be better in hypertensive patients as compared to normotensives.

Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of endurance training on blood pressure (BP) response to sustained hand grip in the study group and control group before and after 3 months of training.

Materials and Methods: Sixty apparently healthy young subjects divided into two groups: Exercise group (30 subjects) control group (30 subjects). Exercise group performed endurance training by running on treadmill alternately for 3 months, while control group did nothing. Tests were carried out with the help of CANWin machine which uses Tacho Cardio Gramme response to sustained hand grip for assessment of sympathetic function reactivity. For the test, subjects were asked to maintain the pressure on dynamometer for 5 min at 30% of maximum voluntary contraction. The BP was recorded at first before start of isometric contraction and at 5 min after the onset of isometric contraction.

Results: No statistically significant difference was found in the mean systolic BP (SBP) and mean diastolic BP (DBP) between the exercise and the control group before exercise and after 5 min during exercise. Statistically significant difference was found in the mean change in DBP, but no significant mean change in SBP was found between exercise and control group before exercise and 5 min after (during exercise) after completing endurance training. A significant difference was observed among the exercise group in the change in SBP at 5 min after hand grip during exercise.

Conclusion: Parasympathetic functions show favorable changes with aerobic exercise, while sympathetic system does not show such responses.

Key words: Blood Pressure; Isometric Hand Grip Exercise; Sympathetic Nervous System