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The Effects of Stretching Training on Arterial Function and Autonomic Control

NCT01741766 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 30

Last updated 2012-12-05

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Hypertension and abdominal obesity are associated with dysfunction of the main mechanisms of cardiovascular regulation, the autonomic nervous system and the vascular endothelium. Increased sympathetic activity and endothelial dysfunction are associated with increased arterial stiffness, which is an independent risk factor for the development of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. The recommended intervention for controlling BP in pre- and stage 1- hypertensive individuals is lifestyle modifications such as exercise, and not drug therapy.Although aerobic and resistance exercise has been shown to be beneficial for the cardiovascular system, special populations such as the elderly and obese may have physical and/or musculoskeletal limitations which may limit their participation in these exercise modalities.

Stretching is a form of exercise that is widely recommended for injury prevention. Among the benefits of stretching are an increased flexibility, enhanced muscular coordination, stress relief, improved range of motion and an improved posture. Previous studies have shown stretching training to increase arterial compliance and acutely increase sympathetic nerve activity. In addition, low flexibility levels have been found to be associated with arterial stiffness. Given that stretching of skeletal muscle causes an increase in sympathetic nerve activity; repetitive stimulation of sympathetic activity induced by habitual stretching, might chronically reduce resting sympathetic activity. The reduction in sympathetic activity might result in a decrease of arterial stiffness and blood pressure.

The investigators hypothesis is that 8 weeks of stretching training would reduce arterial stiffness, blood pressure and sympathetic activity in obese women. The investigators also hypothesize that the improved arterial function with stretching would be associated with increases in flexibility levels.

Conditions

Interventions

OTHER

Stretching Training

The stretching training intervention consists of 38 whole-body stretching exercises, 3 times per week for 8 wk. Each stretch will be held in place for 30 seconds, with a 15 seconds of rest in between stretches.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Florida State University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Arturo Figueroa, M.D., Ph.D · Florida State University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
50 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2011-05-31
Primary Completion
2011-12-31
Completion
2011-12-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01741766 on ClinicalTrials.gov