High Intensity Interval Grip (HIIG) Exercise Does Not Induce Post‐Exercise Hypotension in Older Women

Abstract

Handgrip has been used as an exercise stimulus to perturbate blood pressure over the long‐term (2‐16mmHg reduction) and short‐term (1‐3mmHg reduction). Majority of previous research has been completed using a commercial device (Zona) with a preset exercise protocol of 4x2min @ 30%MVC with 1min rest intervals. Acute exercise using ZONA modestly reduces SBP and increases HR shortly following exercise cessation in mixed samples of middle aged to older men and women. The purpose of this research was to compare the acute cardiovascular impact of Zona exercise to an in‐house accessible protocol of 32x5sec @ 100%MVC with 5sec rest intervals (High Intensity Interval Grip: HIIG) in older (age:57.7±5.2yrs), normotensive (109±9.4/73.1±7.8mmHg), post‐menopausal (8.4±5.6yrs) women. Nineteen women completed 5 laboratory visits; familiarization, baseline, and three randomly assigned experimental conditions: Zona, HIIG, and Control. For each experimental visit, resting SBP, DBP, and HR were made every 2min for 10mins, exercise was completed, and then post‐exercise SBP, DBP, and HR were made every 3min for 30mins. There were two calculations of post‐exercise hemodynamics; a 30min average change and a 6min rolling average change. There were no statistically significant changes from rest in the 30mins post‐exercise for all variables. As a description, based on 30min average change values Zona resulted in increased SBP (+1.6mmHg), increased DBP (+1.4mmHg), and reduced HR (‐2.1bpm) while HIIG resulted in slightly reduced SBP (‐0.2mmHg), slightly increased DBP (+0.2mmHg), and reduced HR (‐2.2bpm). The absence of BP reduction with either acute stimulus suggests cardiovascular regulation differs in this cohort of normotensive, post‐menopausal women. Canadian Institutes of Health Research, CGS Doctoral Award.