Post Exercise Blood Pressure Response To Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction

PURPOSE: To determine if exercise with blood flow restriction in healthy individuals is as effective as traditional exercise in eliciting post exercise hypotension. METHODS: Ten healthy (age =23+ or -2y; VO2max=38.4+ or -10ml*kg-1*min-1; bodyfat =18+ or -5%) college-aged individuals volunteered to participate in this within subject's design. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two exercise trials: one with blood flow restriction and one without. The normal exercise (NE) trial consisted of level walking at 60% of heart rate max for a total of 60 minutes. RESULTS: SBP was significantly lower post NE at minutes 30(111+ or -4 vs. 115+ or -5 mmHg), 35(109+ or -3 vs. 114+ or -5 mmHg), 40(110+ or -2 vs. 115.4+ or -5 mmHg), and 50(111+ or -4 vs.113+ or -4 mmHg) compared to EBR. DBP was significantly lower in the first 5 minutes post exercise (76+ or -7 vs.83+ or -4 mmHg) in the NE vs. the EBR trial. No differences in post exercise heart rate were noted.