Can Wall Squats Help Lower Blood Pressure?

Some weeks, finding time to exercise is easy enough. Other weeks, we're lucky if we can manage a walk around the neighborhood before dinner. When our schedules get busy, it's tempting to assume that a shorter workout, or one less workout, isn't worth the effort.

But, new research suggests that doing something small may be better than giving up altogether, at least when it comes to our blood pressure. The exercise the researchers studied doesn't require any fancy equipment, just a wall and a little determination.

Meet the Humble Wall Squat

If you've ever leaned against a wall and lowered yourself into an imaginary chair, you're already familiar with the exercise.

Wall squats are a type of isometric exercise, meaning your muscles work while you hold a position, rather than repeatedly moving. They're surprisingly challenging, particularly once your thighs start wondering how much longer you plan to stay there.

Researchers have been interested in these exercises because prior studies have linked isometric training with reductions in blood pressure. Still, an important question remained: how often do we need to keep doing them to maintain those benefits?

Researchers Put Busy Schedules to the Test

In the study, published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, researchers recruited 100 adults who weren't regularly participating in structured exercise. None of them had been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

The participants were divided into five groups. Four groups completed wall-squat sessions three times a week for the first month, while the fifth served as a comparison group. For the following four weeks, everyone followed different schedules:

• Three Times Weekly: Continued their original routine

• Twice Weekly: Reduced their sessions slightly

• Once Weekly: Cut back to one session

• No Exercise: Stopped the wall squats altogether

The researchers wanted to see which groups maintained their earlier improvements.

What Happened When People Exercised Less?

The results were encouraging for anyone whose calendar doesn't always cooperate. Those who continued doing wall squats once or twice weekly maintained significant improvements in their systolic blood pressure, compared with the control group. That's the top number in a blood pressure reading, which measures the pressure when the heart contracts.

The average reductions from the beginning of the study were:

• Once Weekly: 6.56 mmHg

• Twice Weekly: 6.95 mmHg

• Three Times Weekly: 13.73 mmHg

The three-session group had the biggest improvement. Those who stopped exercising lost their measurable blood pressure benefits.

That said, the reduced-frequency groups didn't maintain significant improvements in their diastolic blood pressure, the bottom number. And, because the maintenance period lasted just four weeks, researchers don't yet know if the results would continue over several months.

Could Wall Squats Fit Into Your Routine?

One of the best things about wall squats is their simplicity. You don't need a gym membership or expensive equipment, although the exercise can be demanding.

In the study, people completed four wall-squat holds per session, with two minutes of seated rest between holds. That doesn't mean everyone should immediately attempt the same routine.

Wall squats may be unsuitable for people with certain joint or cardiovascular conditions, and anyone with high blood pressure should check with their doctor before starting a demanding isometric exercise program. It's also worth remembering that wall squats aren't a replacement for prescribed medication or other recommended physical activity.

A Little Consistency Goes a Long Way

Still, the most encouraging part of this research is the reminder that our exercise routines don't have to be perfect to be worthwhile.

The study was relatively small and short, and its findings didn’t establish that one weekly workout is enough for long-term blood pressure management. Still, it suggests that maintaining some regular activity may help us maintain certain improvements when life gets busy.

So, if your usual exercise schedule often gets interrupted, don't assume the entire week is a wash. Sometimes, keeping a little room for movement is the best place to start, even if your thighs will have something to say about it.

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