High blood pressure isn't just a number–it's a silent threat that grows louder with age. Nearly 72% of American adults over 60 have hypertension, a condition that can quietly damage the heart, brain, and kidneys, often without any symptoms. As a result, high blood pressure has been found to reduce life expectancy by 10–15 years for the millions of people around the world who suffer from it.

But fear not. There's good news, too: the right kind of exercise can be a powerful weapon and help you in the fight against hypertension.

How are blood pressure and exercise related?

Blood pressure is the force your blood puts on your artery walls as your heart pumps. Systolic pressure (the higher number) measures the pressure when your heart beats, and diastolic pressure (the lower number) measures the pressure when your heart rests between beats.

When these numbers stay too high, it puts stress on your arteries and heart. Here's a closer look:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure) is when the force of blood against your artery walls is consistently too high, usually defined as a systolic pressure over 140 mmHg or a diastolic pressure over 90 mmHg


• Hypertension is a major risk factor for many complications, including heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease


• The older we get, the more common hypertension becomes; by age 80, three out of four adults have high blood pressure

Yet despite how common it is, only about 1 in 5 adults with hypertension have their blood pressure controlled to healthy levels. That's why prevention and lifestyle changes are so important, especially exercise.

Exercise helps lower blood pressure by making your heart stronger and your arteries more flexible. It also calms your nervous system to reduce stress-related spikes. Regular physical activity has been found to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by as much as 5 to 7 mmHg, which is a significant improvement. But how much exercise do you need? And what kind is best? These details can get tricky, especially for older individuals.

Both exercise types are effective, but strength training leads to greater gains

With this in mind, researchers recently conducted a study to explore this very question by evaluating whether aerobic exercise (like walking, cycling, and swimming) or strengthening training (like lifting weights and using resistance bands) is better for older adults' blood pressure. Here's how the study was carried out:

• Participants: 202 healthy older adults with an average age of 67, who were split into two groups
  
  
  
  • Aerobic-based program group: these participants did brisk walking, balance, and coordination exercises for 60 minutes twice a week
  
  
  • Strength-based program group: these participants did circuit-based strength and resistance training, also for 60 minutes twice a week
  
  
  
  


• Duration: all participants were monitored by having their blood pressure, weight, and body mass index checked twice per year for 4 years


• Purpose: determine which program more effectively lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure over time

Results supported both types of exercise, but strength training was slightly superior to aerobic exercise. Here's a closer look:

• Participants in both groups experienced reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure each year.


• The strength group saw more consistent and pronounced improvements, especially over multiple years, though the difference was not statistically significant


• Key takeaway: Strength training may be more effective for sustained blood pressure control in older adults, but both types of exercise work, and combining them could potentially lead to even better outcomes

How physical therapy can help

Physical therapists are experts at designing safe, effective, and personalized exercise programs for patients of all ages. If you have hypertension or you're concerned with your risk, exercising more as part of your regular routine can be one of the best lifestyle changes you can make, and we can help you get there. When we design exercise programs for our patients, we consider your health history, fitness level, and personal goals to create a plan that will likely include:

• Aerobic activities (walking, cycling, swimming)


• Strengthening exercises (weights, resistance bands, bodyweight movements)


• Flexibility and balance training

We also provide guidance, motivation, and monitoring to keep patients on track over the long haul, which is necessary to achieve lasting benefits.

Ready to take control of your blood pressure?

If you or a loved one is over 65 and concerned about high blood pressure, it's time to get moving with the right guidance! Contact our clinic today to get started on a personalized program that will likely include aerobic activity, strength training, and other interventions to help regulate your blood pressure and improve your heart health.

For the curious readers who want to dive deeper, here's where you can access the full study here.