Are you looking for ways to improve your vascular health at home while gyms in your area may still be closed?
In a recent small study conducted and published in the Journal of Physiology suggests that passive legs stretching increases vascular function and decreases stiffness.
Passive stretching is a type of stretching in which you stay in one position for a set time. You’re able to relax your body while a partner, accessory, or prop intensifies the stretch by putting external pressure on your body. You can also use the floor or a wall.
Signs of local and systemic vascular improvement were observed after study participants underwent 12 weeks of training in passive stretching (PS):
1. 30% increase in femoral change in blood flow
2. 25% increase in popliteal artery flow-mediated dilatation
3. 8% increase in brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation
4. 25% decrease in central arterial stiffness
5. 17% decrease in peripheral arterial stiffness
6. 4% decrease in systolic blood pressure (BP)
7. 8% decrease in diastolic BP
This new application of stretching is especially relevant in the increased confinement to our homes, where the possibility of performing beneficial training to improve and prevent heart disease, stroke and other conditions is limited.
So, if you are looking for an at-home workout to start, we suggest some passive stretching to get the blood pumping! We are sure you will also have better sleep and mood as a result of daily and focused stretching.
