Written by Dean Towers- Exercise Physiologist
Hypertension, also know as high blood pressure, is a condition where the pressures in the blood vessels are raised.
When there is increased pressure in your blood vessels your heart has to work harder to push blood around your body.
Hypertension is a serious medical condition and it can increase the risk of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases. It is a major cause of premature death, with a third of Australians over the age of 18 having hypertension.
A modifiable risk factor for hypertension is physical inactivity. Exercising and moving every day helps stop blood from pooling in your legs and aids the heart to move blood around the body. When we exercise our blood vessels dilate to allow increased blood flow to our working muscles, post exercise this dilation response can last up to 24 hours and can be effective in most people at lowering resting blood pressure levels by 5-7mmHg.
Considering the blood pressure lowering effects of exercise only last for up to 24 hours it’s important to have a healthy weekly exercise routine that’s enjoyable and sustainable.
At Elossa, our Exercise Physiologists monitor both pre-exercise and post-exercise blood pressure of our members who have diagnosed hypertension. This is just one of the ways Elossa is ensuring that our members are exercising safely.
James E. Sharman, Neil A. Smart, Jeff S. Coombes, Michael Stowasse. Exercise and sport science Australia position stand update on exercise and hypertension. Journal of Human Hypertension 2019:33;837–843