Can Stretching Lower Blood Pressure?
People with hypertension, or high blood pressure, are often advised to take brisk walks frequently, but a new study, published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, suggests stretching may be more effective.
Hypertension is a cardiovascular condition that can lead to heart disease or stroke when left untreated. A healthy blood pressure range is 120/80, and high blood pressure is anywhere from 130/80 to 180/120.
“Everyone thinks that stretching is just about stretching your muscles,” co-author of the study and kinesiology professor Phil Chilibeck, Ph.D., says in a news release. “But when you stretch your muscles, you’re also stretching all the blood vessels that feed into the muscle, including all the arteries.”
Excerpted from mbg movement
