Exercises such as the plank, the bridge and the “wall sit”could help millions of people who need to lower their blood pressure. Actions that engage muscles without movement — “static isometric” exercises — are best for the purpose, a study suggests.
Researchers drew on 270 clinical trials, involving almost 16,000 people. Changes in blood flow prompted by the exercises were likely to be behind the improvements, they concluded.
Persistent high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems including heart attacks, strokes and vascular dementia. The condition affects one in four adults in Britain.
The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that other exercises, including squats, press-ups, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and cardiovascular exercise, also resulted in falls in blood