1989 Volume 12 Issue 1 Pages 1_57-1_62
This study was conducted to identify by measuring heart rate and blood pressure which activities in showering result in more stress to the cardiovascular system.
Three positions with and without arm work; flexion bending, sitting on a low round chair and arm sustained above the head positions were examined as mimic activities of washing the lower legs and the head with 15 normal subjects.
Significant rise (27.8mmHg) in mean blood pressure from the resting level was already observed in the bending position without arm work for washing the lower legs. In addition, mean blood pressure rose with arm work in either of the three positions.
Mean increases in heart rate from the resting level in the bending and arm sustained positions without arm work were 15.1±8.2 bpm and 20.7±7.3 bpm, respectively while the increase in the sitting position was remarkably lower than in the bending position.
The increases in pressure rate product in the bending position with and without arm work were significantly higher than other positions.
We suggest from these results that the flexion bending position should be noticed as a cause for more stress to the cardiovascular system during showering.
