Isometric Handgrip Exercise Training Improves Spirometric Parameters and Pulmonary Capacity

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pulmonology
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Prehypertension is linked to declining pulmonary function.
• Physical activity may mitigate age-related lung function decline.
• Limited data exists on isometric exercise's impact on pulmonary function in prehypertension.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of isometric handgrip exercise on pulmonary function capacity in adults with prehypertension.
• To determine the effectiveness of varying durations and intensities of isometric handgrip exercise.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-exercise assessments.
• 192 sedentary pre-hypertensive adults (30-50 years) were divided into three groups.
• Groups performed isometric handgrip exercise at 30% Maximum Voluntary Contraction (M.V.C.) for 24 days, with Group 2 continuing for 48 days and Group 3 continuing for 48 days at 50% M.V.C.

Main Results:

• No significant pulmonary function changes were observed in Group 1 after 24 days.
• Groups 2 and 3 showed significant improvements in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1), and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) after 48 days.
• Group 3, exercising at 50% M.V.C., demonstrated greater improvements than Group 2.

Conclusions:

• Isometric handgrip exercise, particularly with increased duration and intensity (up to 50% M.V.C.), significantly enhances pulmonary function capacity in adults with prehypertension.
• This suggests a potential non-pharmacological intervention for managing pulmonary health in this population.