The influence of long duration of isometric contraction on blood pressure

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to observe the influence of duration time of isometric contraction on blood pressure of healthy young mates. The blood pressure of 16 normal young males was measured before and after 3 sessions of push-up exercise. All subjects did push-up and hold for 5 seconds (T5), 10 seconds (T10) and 15 seconds (T15), respectively. The results indicate that only the systolic pressure was increased irrespective of the isometric contraction exercise time, and no significant difference was found in the systolic pressures among the isometric contraction exercise times. Also no significant difference was found in the change of pulse systolic pressure between the T5 and T10 groups, but there was a remarkable difference between both the group T5 and T15, and the T10 and T15 groups. The present results reveal that isometric contraction exercise increases the systolic pressure and that the effect of the cushion reflex on adjustment of blood pressure lasts from 10 to 15 seconds.