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Trying to lower your blood pressure? This basic exercise may help
USA Today • • health
Key Points:
- A new study found that wall squats, a simple isometric exercise requiring no equipment, can help maintain lower systolic blood pressure even when done once or twice a week.
- The study involved 100 adults with mildly elevated blood pressure who initially performed wall squats three times weekly for four weeks, then reduced frequency or stopped exercising for another four weeks.
- Participants who continued exercising once or twice weekly maintained significant reductions in systolic blood pressure, though three sessions per week yielded the greatest improvements.
- Diastolic blood pressure improvements were not sustained in the once- or twice-weekly groups, and those who stopped exercising lost their earlier gains entirely.
- Researchers emphasize that wall squats should complement, not replace, prescribed treatments and that further studies are needed to assess long-term benefits of reduced-frequency exercise.
