Physical Exercises for Hypertension

Approximately 50% of people with high blood pressure have a sedentary lifestyle. A slow walk in the shops does not apply to gymnastics. In addition, most hypertensive patients do not burden themselves with this. By the way, until recently, experts believed that the physical load for patients with hypertension is extremely harmful. But, as it turned out later, complete rest for them is even more harmful. Any hypertensive patient should clearly understand that small loads reduce blood pressure in many people, regardless of whether they have lost weight or not.

A recent study showed that in men and women aged 60 to 85 years who adhered to a low-calorie diet with reduced sodium intake and led a lively lifestyle, after about 6 months, blood pressure decreased: the systolic mean decreased by 8.7 mm Hg.st, and diastolic - by 6.8 mm Hg. Art.

Physical exercises are isometric and isotonic. Performing isometric exercises makes it possible to build muscle mass using a bar or weights. But at the same time they can give a push to a sharp increase in blood pressure during training. In this regard, many doctors are not advised to engage in such exercises, if the blood pressure rises to beyond-limit figures.

Isotonic exercises are also called dynamic. They bring great benefit to hypertensive patients who want to significantly lower blood pressure. When carrying out isotonic exercises, the major muscles of the body basically work. As a result, the lungs and the heart are stimulated.

In order for exercise to be useful, you should do it with pleasure. If hypertensive patients have joint diseases, then jogging or climbing stairs is counter-indicative. Swimming is the most optimal option for people with excess weight or joint diseases. It gives a small load to the knees, hips and shoulders and at the same time it trains the muscles well.

Studies have shown that people with high blood pressure can lower the systolic pressure by 7 mm Hg.and diastolic by 3 mm Hg. If they swim safely, without tension, for 45 minutes 3 times a week for 10 weeks.

You can also advise hypertensive patients to choose walking as an isotonic exercise. Even people with weak muscles and joints can walk for a long time without harm to health.

When choosing a physical exercise, you need to pay attention to three points: intensity, duration and frequency. The intensity can be judged by the heart rate: the faster the heart beats, the more useful. But too frequent heartbeat can do much harm. To determine the optimal intensity, you need to calculate the maximum allowable heart rate. To do this, perform some calculations. Of 220, they subtract their age and get the maximum allowable heart rate. For example, if the age is 50 years, then the pulse will be: 220 - 50 = 170 beats per minute.

Knowing this number, you need to decide how intense training should be. Only beginners should train for 50-70% of the maximum heart rate - this is a moderate intensity. If the human heart rate is 170, then this digit is multiplied by 0.5 to get 50% of the maximum, or 0.7 to get 70% of the maximum. Thus, 50% is 85 beats per minute, and 70% is about 120 beats per minute.

It's quite difficult to start exercising. You need to break yourself both mentally and physically. And hypertensive patients are doubly harder, because they are afraid of disturbing the heart.

But this is in vain. It is necessary to give work to your body - and it will be no time to get sick. Overcoming their fears, fears and conservatism is quite difficult, but it's even harder not to stop the workouts that have begun. But you need to force yourself to go out into the street and at least stroll through the park, regardless of the weather.