Stair Climbing Improves Cardiovascular Health and Muscle Strength in Postmenopausal Women

by | Apr 29, 2019 | 2018, Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular Health, Menopause, Women's Health

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Compared to the non-stair climbing control group, stair-climbing training over a twelve –week period significantly improved systemic arterial stiffness, blood pressure, and leg muscle strength in the participating postmenopausal women with stage 2 hypertension.

Menopause is associated with the progressive stiffening of arteries 1, a phenomenon that increases the risk of cardiovascular events over time 2. Increased brachial-to-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, is associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) 3 and greater loss of muscle strength and mass (sarcopenia) 4. Given the protective role of muscle strength against arterial stiffness and hypertension 5, one approach to improving resting cardiovascular profile, particularly in postmenopausal women, may involve promoting PWV and vascular strength. Although high-intensity resistance training is recognized for its ability to increase PWV in middle-aged adults with hypertension 6, for older women, a more accessible exercise modality like stair climbing may be a more feasible alternative. Stair climbing boasts the aerobic components of exercise but also incorporates body weight resistance, demonstrating benefits for cardiorespiratory health as well as muscle strength 7. Thus, using a stair climbing exercise program, researchers at Marymount University (2018) tested the benefits of stair climbing on arterial stiffness and BP in postmenopausal women with hypertension 8.

A total of 41 postmenopausal women (aged 49-67 years) with stage 2 hypertension (140-179 mmHg systolic BP or 90-119 mmHg diastolic BP) were enrolled in a parallel experimental design in which they were randomly assigned to either stair climbing or a non-exercising control group for 12 weeks. The stair climbing program took place 4 days a week with a progressively increasing exercise load of up to 192 steps up to 5 times daily. Control participants were instructed to maintain their normal physical activity levels. At baseline and after 12 weeks, researchers assessed baPWV, as well as weight, body composition, heart rate, BP, and muscle strength of legs (using a leg extension machine).

Analyses revealed significant group x time interactions (p < 0.05) for baPWV, systolic BP, diastolic BP, and heart rate, which significantly decreased (p < 0.01); and for leg strength which significantly increased (p < 0.05). From baseline to Week 12, there were also significant reductions in and body mass index for the stair climbing group (p < 0.05 for both). Researchers also found a correlation between changes in baPWV and changes in systolic BP (r = 0.66, p < 0.05) and leg strength (r = -0.47, p < 0.05).

Findings from the present study suggest that 12 weeks of stair climbing can produce meaningful improvements in arterial stiffness, BP, and muscle strength in postmenopausal women with hypertension. The increase in leg strength observed in the present study is particularly notable, given the almost 3% yearly loss in leg strength reported in older women 9. Positive correlations between reductions in baPWV and systolic BP also suggest that stair climbing’s efficacy in diminishing BP may be partially explained by improvements in arterial stiffness. A few study limitations should be acknowledged in the present trial, namely, the use of a relatively short study duration and the restriction of study subjects to those with type 2 hypertension, which could prevent generalization of results to populations with other types of hypertension. Overall, however, findings provide novel support for the cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening benefits of stair climbing as an appealing exercise modality for postmenopausal women with hypertension.

Source: Wong A, Figueroa A, Son WM, et al. The effects of stair climbing on arterial stiffness, BP, and leg strength in postmenopausal women with stage 2 hypertension. Menopause. 2018; 25(7). DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001072.

© 2018 by the North American Menopause Society

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Posted April 29, 2019.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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