Yippee – I always wanted a good reason to improve my flexibility

It all comes back to what I have posted about previously – Microcirculation

75% of your circulation is capillaries. If they are blocked or tight what happens?

Hypertension. Now this suggests that poor ROM will correlate with hypertension.

Anyway here’s the research:

“Stretching is Superior to Brisk Walking for Reducing Blood Pressure in People With High–Normal Blood Pressure or Stage I Hypertension”

The study was conducted over eight weeks, using two randomly assigned groups of older men and women (mean age 61). The 40 participants were monitored as they compared the benefits of stretching for 30 minutes to a 30-minute walk.

The group assigned to stretch was observed having greater reductions in blood pressure across all three of their measurements: sitting, lying down, and over 24 hours with a portable monitor.

Co-author of the study and U of S kinesiology professor Dr. Phil Chilibeck said that although the findings show stretching might have a hand up on a brisk walk when it comes to reducing blood pressure, there’s no reason to substitute one for the other.

“I don’t want people to come away from our research thinking they shouldn’t be doing some form of aerobic activity. Things like walking, biking, or cross-country skiing all have a positive effect on body fat, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar,” said Chilibeck.

While the study protocol had participants stretching for 30 minutes at a time, Chilibeck suspects the same benefits can be achieved by doing a shorter routine that emphasizes the larger muscle groups in the legs, particularly the quadriceps and hamstrings. Yoga produces similar reductions in blood pressure, he said.

Chilibeck said that those walking to reduce blood pressure should continue to do so, but should consider adding some stretching sessions to their routine.

Obviously it comes back to ROM – range of motion as defined by Hippensteel. Chilibeck & Hippensteel are both Kinesiologists.

Theres another study from 2015 on flexibility & arterial stiffness. “Four weeks of regular static stretching
reduces arterial stiffness in middle-aged men”

Only two research papers but the key to it is “Microcirculation”.

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