Effects of different intensities and durations of aerobic exercise training on arterial stiffness.
Ryota Kobayashi, Yasuo Kasahara, Tetsuo Ikeo and 6 others
PMID 32158071WHAT IT FOUND
Eight weeks of aerobic exercise lowered arterial stiffness in healthy middle-aged and older adults.
The benefit was similar for low and moderate intensity, and for 15 and 30 minute sessions. Blood pressure also decreased. This suggests short, gentle walking or cycling may improve vascular health.
Key findings
01Arterial stiffness measures (baPWV, hbPWV, CAVI, AVI, API) significantly decreased after 8 weeks of exercise in all training groups compared to baseline.
02There was no significant difference in the reduction of arterial stiffness between low-intensity (25% max HR) and moderate-intensity (50% max HR) groups, or between 15-minute and 30-minute duration groups.
03Systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased in the exercise groups but remained unchanged in the non-exercise control group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study only included healthy, normotensive individuals with no history of chronic disease, so results may not apply to patients with existing cardiovascular conditions or hypertension. The sample size was small (n=41 total, with 7-10 per group), which limits the power to detect subtle differences between groups. The study did not examine the underlying mechanisms for the changes in arterial stiffness. The control group was non-exercise, not a placebo or active control, which may introduce bias regarding attention and expectation effects.
Declared interests
The study was funded by a subsidy from OG Wellness Co., Ltd., a company that manufactures the bicycle ergometer used in the intervention. The authors declared no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that low-intensity exercise is sufficient for improving cardiovascular fitness (VO2peak). The study found that while arterial stiffness and blood pressure improved, peak oxygen uptake did not significantly change in any group, including those exercising at moderate intensity.