Effects of Isometric Handgrip Exercise in Pre-Eclamptic Females

Author(s) : Marwa Khalid, Khushboo Gulzar, Farooq Islam, Asim Raza, Raheela Kousar, Nosheen Sultan & Afifa Tariq

Abstract:

Objective:
The study is conducted to access the effectiveness of Isometric Handgrip (IHG) Exercise in pre-eclamptic females.
Material and Methods:
Fifty-six diagnosed females with history of pre-eclampsia were randomly allocated into two groups: A with 28 subjects and B with 28 subjects. Participants with group A received isometric handgrip exercise along with medicines while Group B was treated only with medicines. Each patient was treated three times a week for a period of 4 weeks. Pre-treatment, 2nd week and 4th week measurements of blood pressure was taken by a sphygmomanometer, reading was taken according to American Heart Association.
Results:
While comparing the values of both experimental and control group, both groups show statistically significant changes in the results after treatment, but experimental group shows more improvement than control group.
Conclusion:
In the study, it has been demonstrated that reduction in SBP and DBP was seen after 4 weeks of isometric handgrip exercise. It is also concluded that IHG training may be an easy, simple, cost-effective, efficacious, and non-pharmacological therapy in clinical management for reduction of blood pressure in pregnancy.

Keywords: Hypertension, Diastolic blood pressure, Isometric handgrip exercise, IHG Training, Pre-eclampsia, Systolic blood pressure