Effects of Ergonomic Exercises on Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure of Hypertensive Elderly in Sitopeng Cirebon, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a chronic, non-communicable disease that often shows no symptoms but can cause heart failure, stroke, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, and even premature death. The majority of hypertension sufferers in Indonesia are elderly (57.6%). Ergonomic exercise is recommended in the non-pharmacological management of hypertension because it can reduce blood pressure. Aims: To know the effect of ergonomic exercise three times and once per week on systolic and diastolic pressure in hypertensive elderly. Methods: The design is an experiment consisted of two groups before and after intervention; the population is hypertensive elderly in Sitopeng, Cirebon City. The sample sizes were determined by the formula (t-1) (r-1) > 15, where t is the treatment group and r are the replication, so the total sample was 32 hypertensive elderly people who were selected using simple random sampling techniques, and data analysis was carried out using the independent T-test and paired T-test. Results: Ergonomics exercises 3 times per week can reduce systolic pressure in elderly people with hypertension (p = 0.001<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the ergonomic exercise groups 3 times and 1 time per week treatment in systolic (p = 0.520) and diastolic pressure (p = 0.095>0.05). Conclusion: Ergonomic exercise provides good benefits in reducing systole and diastole pressure in elderly people with hypertension. Maximum benefits can be obtained if the elderly perform ergonomic exercise movements perfectly, control medication adherence, and follow a low-salt diet. Recommendation: Give the guidebook to each participant, which they take home and are assisted by family to memorize the movements. Always maintain compliance with taking medication and a low-salt diet.