
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

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