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 For the study, researchers analyzed data from 49 trials with a total
of 3,517 participants who were typically middle-aged, overweight
women and men who already had high blood pressure or were close to
developing the condition. These smaller trials assessed blood
pressure before and after participants were randomly assigned either
to doing yoga or to a control group without exercise programs.
Overall, the people in the yoga groups experienced average
reductions in systolic blood pressure of 5 mmHG (millimeters of
mercury) more than those in the control groups, and diastolic blood
pressure was reduced by 3.9 mmHG more with yoga.
When people with high blood pressure did yoga three times a week in
sessions that also included breathing and relaxation exercises, they
experienced average decreases of 11 mmHG more than control groups in
systolic blood pressure and 6 mmHG more in diastolic blood pressure.
"Our results not only showed that yoga can be just as, or even more
effective than aerobic exercise to reduce blood pressure; but also
quantitatively showed the importance of emphasizing yoga breathing
techniques and mental relaxation/meditation along with physical
forms during practice," said lead study author Yin Wu, a researcher
in kinesiology at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.
"So, yoga, among other lifestyle interventions (such as diet and
smoking cessation) should be adopted early on even when the blood
pressure is still relatively low, and should be continued along with
medication when blood pressure is relatively high," Wu said by
email.
Yoga appeared beneficial, but less so, when people practiced
regularly but didn't focus on breathing and relaxation or
meditation. Under these circumstances, yoga was associated with
average drops of 6 mmHG more in systolic blood pressure and 3 mmHG
more in diastolic blood pressure compared to the groups doing no
exercise.
In adults, a normal or healthy blood pressure reading is considered
to be 120/80 mmHG or lower.
People in the study started out with average blood pressure readings
of 129.3/80.7 mmHG. This suggests the reductions associated with
yoga might be enough to return some people to the normal range.
The first number in the reading, known as systolic blood pressure,
is the pressure blood exerts against artery walls when the heart
beats. The second number, known as diastolic blood pressure,
represents the pressure between beats when the heart is at rest.
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One limitation of the study is that researchers lacked data on the
intensity of yoga practices, including how long people held poses
and how rapidly participants transitioned from one position to the
next, the study authors note in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
And while yoga with relaxation techniques appears to be beneficial,
a separate study in the same journal offers a reminder of the
potential risks for some in a review of records from 89 patients
with injuries caused primarily by yoga.
The study looked at the types of injuries that occurred and found
that 66 people had soft tissue injuries including pain from overuse,
and six had discomfort or mobility limitations around a rotator cuff
in the shoulder. In addition, 46 people experienced aggravation of
pain from degenerative joint disease, while 13 had compression
fractures.
These observations only included injured people, researchers note.
The study wasn't designed to determine whether or how yoga might
directly cause injuries.
"In general, yoga improves balance, strength and flexibility, but
trying to be extremely flexible with fragile joints can cause
problems," said senior study author Dr. Mehrsheed Sinaki, a
rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,
Minnesota.
"Also, if a person is 70 or 80 and does too many hip-opening
movements or hyper extensions, they may develop hip pain," Sinaki
said by email.
While most people can practice yoga safely, older people with
osteoporosis (thinning, brittle bones) should be careful, agreed Dr.
Edward Laskowski, coauthor of an accompanying editorial and
co-director of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine.
"Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, an individualized
exercise prescription which takes into account a person's unique
medical history and personal goals should be considered," Laskowski
said by email.
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2BUUSXO , https://bit.ly/2Ejzkof and https://bit.ly/2BYnRtJ
Mayo Clinic Proceedings, online February 18, 2019.
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