Effect of 3-month Nordic Walking training on arterial blood pressure in women aged 60 years and over

Abstract

Background Non-pharmacological treatment of arterial hypertension should be recommended to all patients with arterial hypertension. Thus, effective strategy of implementing this kind of treatment for patients with arterial hypertension should be prepared. The goal of the study was to evaluate the effect of 3-month Nordic Walking training on arterial blood pressure (ABP) in women aged 60 years and over.
Material and methods Eighty women were recruited for the study; mean age = 67 ± 6 years (age ranged from 60–78). In the experimental group, 48 women (31 without arterial hypertension; 17 with arterial hypertension) participated in Nordic Walking training, while 32 women (17 without and 15 with arterial hypertension) were enrolled to the control group. Before Nordic Walking, all the women had ABP and heart rate (HR) measured. Ambulatory ABP was checked 3 times during 2 separate visits while home ABP was self measured by women 4 times a day for 2 consecutive days. Then, women from the experimental group participated in 3-month Nordic Walking exercise training at a rate: 3 times a week for 60 minutes. After the end of training, all the women had ABP and HR measured in the same way as before the training.
Results In the experimental group, reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) in ambulatory (DSBP 9 mm Hg, DDBP 6.8 mm Hg) and home measurements (DSBP 4.9 mm Hg, DDBP 2.9 mm Hg) was observed. In the control group after 3-month observation no significant changes in ABP were found.
Conclusions Three-month Nordic Walking training significantly decreases SBP and DBP in women aged 60 and over. Nordic Walking may become important factor in non-pharmacological treatment of arterial hypertension among women in retirement age.