Treating Hypertension with Sports Medicine

Hypertension – also known as the silent killer – affects nearly 1 in 4 American adults. And, studies suggest that we all have a 90% chance of developing hypertension at some time during our life due in large part to highly processed, sodium-filled foods and sedentary lifestyles. But, with sports medicine and the proper strategy, you and your family can avoid or treat hypertension.

Sports Medicine: The Key to Combating Hypertension

When we hear Sports Medicine we think of high performing athletes, ice baths, torn ligaments, bulging muscles, and the Olympics. “It’s not really for me – the everyday 9-5er.” Ah, but you couldn’t be farther from the truth. In reality, Sport Medicine just means we either treat injuries caused by sports and exercise or we treat ailments with sport and exercise. For some maladies, like high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, depression, arthritis, and hypertension, physical therapy in the form of  sports medicine is one of best treatments. Why? The nature of sport medicine is physical movement; we heal the body through physical activity. Hypertensive clients should exercise regularly because of post-exercise hypotension (PEH). PEH is the reduction in blood pressure after completing a sustained (approximately 30 minutes) physical activity. Blood pressure can be reduced for as long as 22 hours in some individuals.  30 minutes of movement for 22 hours of relief – that’s a good trade off.

Exercise Comfortably

Don’t let the word exercise scare you off. Again, we’re not talking Olympic athlete level here. In fact, you’ll find the following list of aerobic activities to less than intimidating.

• Walking
• Jogging
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Dancing
• Water Aerobics
• Yard Work
• Vacuuming/mopping
• Playing with the kids at the park

Your goal is to get that heart rate up for 30 minutes. It doesn’t have to be super intense. You’re aiming for 40-60% of maximum effort, which we all know is pretty easy to reach when you’re playing a round of hide and seek with your kids or grandkids at the park.

Exceptions to the Rule

We understand better than most that fitting these activities into your day is sometimes extremely difficult, if not impossible. We also know that you may have certain medical conditions, ailments, or concerns that keep you from jumping on the exercise train. That’s why we’re here to help. Our expert team at Arrowhead Health Centers is skilled in developing individualized sports medicine plans for you. We care about your needs and work hard to make sure we’re giving you the care you deserve. Call us or visit our website to get more information about how we can get you back on track to a long and healthy life.