Tue, Feb-14-12, 03:36
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Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
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A Dip in the Pool Does an Aging Body Good
Quote:
From The WSJ
February 14, 2012
A Dip in the Pool Does an Aging Body Good
Swimming reduces blood pressure and improves artery health in elderly adults, according to a study in the American Journal of Cardiology.
Previous studies have found similar advantages from walking exercises, but this was the first to demonstrate swimming's vascular health benefits for older, sedentary adults. Because swimming puts less stress on joints and the body's cooling mechanisms than many other exercises, it "is an ideal form of activity for older adults," the study's authors noted.
The researchers recruited 43 adults ages 50 to 80 years from the Austin, Texas, area. All had pre-hypertension or low-grade hypertension, but were otherwise healthy despite not having exercised regularly in the previous two years.
They were assigned at random to one of two groups. The first group received 12 weeks of swimming instruction and swam 15 to 45 minutes a day, three to four days a week. The second, or control, group spent that time stretching and learning relaxation exercises.
Despite losing no weight or fat, the swimmers' systolic blood pressure—measured when the heart contracts—fell 7% to 122 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) from 131 mmHg. Their arteries also showed signs of becoming more elastic and responsive to changes in blood flow.
The control group showed no statistically significant improvements. If these improvements could be sustained longer than the 12-week trial, they should decrease the swimmers' risk of heart disease, the researchers said.
Caveat: The study's small size and selection of generally healthy subjects may limit its relevance to other elderly adults.
Title: Effects of Swimming Training on Blood Pressure and Vascular Function in Adults >50 Years of Age
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...2428599888.html |
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