Background. Increasing physical activity is a widely recognized method of prevention and treatment of hypertension and obesity. Objectives. The aim of the following study was to assess the results of application of Nordic walking in the treatment of patients with hypertension and obesity. Material and methods. Participating in the study were 30 overweight or obese men with hypertension, undergoing pharmacological treatment, randomly assigned to one of the two study groups. The first group performed Nordic walking training for 4 weeks. The second group underwent pharmacological treatment only. The value of blood pressure measured with a 24-hour AMBP monitoring device, exercise tolerance based on the duration and value of the metabolic equivalent during the exercise test, body mass and BMI value, as well as total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglyceride values, were measured before and after the study.
Results.The results of the study demonstrated the fact that the application of Nordic walking over the course of 4 weeks did not cause significant changes as far as the value of blood pressure. However, the training led to increased exercise tolerance, a reduced body mass and BMI value, as well as lowered triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. There were no cases of discontinuation of the training due to unwanted effects or symptoms. Conclusions. The 4-week period of Nordic walking training did not result in the lowering of blood pressure in patients with hypertension. However, Nordic walking training did result in improved exercise tolerance, decreased body mass, as well as reduced metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic disease with multiple extrapulmonary manifestations including impeded skeletal muscle function, leading to decreased muscular strength and endurance in patients with COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation eases the symptoms of the condition and produces increased muscular endurance. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) may serve as a treatment alternative to traditional pulmonary rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of NMES combined with pulmonary rehabilitation on exercise tolerance in patients in comparison with pulmonary rehabilitation alone. The subjects included 30 patients with COPD randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The first group consisted of 15 patients who were treated with neuromuscular electrical stimulation at frequency of 35Hz and pulmonary rehabilitation (NMES+RP). The second group comprised 15 patients treated with pulmonary rehabilitation only (RP). Pre- and poststudy assessments were performed. The retrospective evaluation including an exercise tolerance test (i.e. six minute walk test (6MWT)), spirometry and blood gasometry was carried out after 3 weeks. Twenty-eight patients in total completed the study. In the NMES+RP group, an increase in exercise tolerance manifested by a longer distance walked in the 6MWT was observed in comparison to the pulmonary rehabilitation group. No effects of NMES combined with pulmonary rehabilitation on selected spirometric and gasometric parameters in patients with COPD were observed in comparison with traditional pulmonary rehabilitation. The acquired results suggest that NMES of the lower limbs may be applied as an additional form of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD.
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