Effects of lower body positive pressure on cardiovascular responses during walking in elderly women

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of lower body positive pressure (LBPP) on cardiovascular responses during a 15-min walking trial in young (22.1+/-0.4 years) and elderly women (67.8+/-1.1 years). The application of 20 mm Hg LBPP reduced ground reaction forces by 31.2+/-0.5 kgw in both groups. We hypothesized that cardiovascular responses to LBPP during walking were different between the young and elderly subjects. Applying 20 mm Hg of LBPP increased diastolic and mean blood pressure but not systolic blood pressure in both groups. LBPP-induced reduction in heart rate (HR) occurred more quickly in the young group compared to the elderly group (p<0.05). Applying LBPP also decreased double product (systolic blood pressure x HR) in both groups, suggesting that LBPP reduces myocardial oxygen consumption during exercise. These results suggest that heart rate responses to LBPP during exercise vary with increasing age.