Abstract
Governing bodies continue to recommend both aerobic and resistance training as part of lifestyle modification, and it is known that exercise is medicine. Load carriage is an activity of daily living, can be an occupational risk, and is a popular method of resistance training. The type of carry could be related to different vascular responses, which may be related to cardiovascular risk. When professionals recommend exercise programs, consideration of the vascular responses in relation to type of carry is important in order to reduce potential risk. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess vascular health and blood pressure (BP) responses to the farmers handle (load at the side of body) and zercher (load in front of body) carry in young adults. METHODS: We had 38 adults (22F, 16M, age 21.8 1.7 yrs) participate in 3 visits. The visits included a 30 sec farmers handle carry visit, a 30 sec zercher carry visit, and a leg strength measurement via Biodex dynamometer. Both of the carry visits included pre- and post- load carriage vascular measurements using pulse wave analysis. Stastical analyses was completed with SPSS. RESULTS: Farmers handle and zercher load carriages both led to significant increases in peripheral systolic BP, central systolic BP, and vascular stiffness (AIx@75). We found larger increases in stiffness with zercher carry (35.7%; 5.8 to 41.5% compared to 15%; 10.4 to 25.4%), but larger increases in peripheral BP with farmers handle carry (12 mmHg; 132.5 to 144.1 mmHg compared to 5.3 mmHg; 131.4 to 136.7 mmHg). For AIx@75 the main effect of carry {λ = 0.76, F(1,37)= 11.16, P = .00}, of test time {λ = 0.14, F(1,37)= 213.69, P = .00}, and interaction of carry X test time {λ = 0.44, F(1,37)= 46.58, P = .00} were significant. For peripheral systolic BP the main effect of carry {λ = 0.89, F(1,37)= 4.39, P = .04}, of test time {λ = 0.54, F(1,37)= 30.95, P = .00}, and interaction of carry X test time {λ = 0.83, F(1,37)= 7.35, P = .01} were significant. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that type of load carriage is important to consider based on potential cardiac risk of patient. Further study is need to confirm this preliminary data.
Recommended Citation
Wheelock, Brianna; Tasevski, Natalya; Grzywaczewski, Miranda; Flannery, Marissa; and Feairheller, Deborah L.
(2024)
"The Farmers Handle Loaded Carry Increases Peripheral Blood Pressure but the Zercher Carry Increases Vascular Stiffness,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 14:
Iss.
4, Article 58.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol14/iss4/58
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Health and Physical Education Commons, Medical Education Commons, Sports Sciences Commons