Kleve/Kamp-Lintfort, 25 April 2014: As part of her Bachelor’s thesis, Heike Holtappel, a student on the ‘Bio Science and Health’ programme at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, investigated the effects of a tailored strength training programme on the health of people with mild to moderate high blood pressure. This condition is widespread and, if left untreated, can lead to serious consequences such as heart attacks and strokes.
Kleve/Kamp-Lintfort, 25 April 2014: As part of her Bachelor’s thesis, Heike Holtappel, a student on the ‘Bio Science and Health’ programme at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, investigated the effects of a tailored strength training programme on the health of people with mild to moderate high blood pressure. This condition is widespread and, if left untreated, can lead to serious consequences such as heart attacks and strokes. It has been proven that regular physical activity and exercise have positive effects on the health of people with high blood pressure and now form an essential part of non-pharmacological treatment. What is new is the finding that not only endurance sports such as walking or jogging, but also a tailored strength training programme can help lower blood pressure. Consequently, targeted strength training is increasingly becoming the focus of scientific research.
Under the supervision of Prof. Dr Robert Renner, Professor of Health Promotion and Nutrition at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, the student was able to recruit numerous interested local residents from the region to take part in this high blood pressure study. However, before the group began training, their eligibility for the study was confirmed on the basis of health factors through targeted examinations. In addition to measuring blood pressure, this involved, amongst other things, analysing body fat and muscle mass, as well as determining blood lipid levels. To enable a comparison to be made, all participants were divided into two groups: one group that undertook strength training over the following eight weeks, and a control group that did not take part in the strength training.
Following the initial examinations, the participants began their training at the Forstgarten Kleve. The programme consisted of bodyweight strength exercises twice a week, with the training supervised by Gregor Akkermann, a graduate in sports science. Training without additional equipment or weights thus ensured that the exercises could be carried out at home and independently. Motivation and enjoyment of the training gradually led to an increase in training intensity. Throughout the study, the student regularly measured the blood pressure of the participants in the training group, ensuring that a meaningful amount of data was available by the end of the study.
After analysing all the data, Heike Holtappel found evidence of a blood pressure-lowering effect. An additional positive effect is the improvement in mobility and increased strength amongst all members of the training group. This improvement in health primarily supports physical exertion in everyday life, making it easier, for example, to lift heavy objects. Furthermore, all participants in the training group reported an increased sense of physical well-being. “In summary, it can be said that research in this field is worthwhile and promising, and that, in addition to a potential reduction in blood pressure, further positive effects can be achieved through tailored strength training,” explains Heike Holtappel.
