title: Cardiorespiratory and hemodynamic responses to inversion and inversion with sit-ups.
abstract: Eighteen men were studied during 15 minutes of inversion to determine the effects of 4 sit-ups per minute for 5 minutes on the cardiorespiratory system. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, ventilation, oxygen uptake, and METS increased significantly from preinversion/standing (A) to inversion (B). Arterial blood pressure increased from 122/81 mmHg to 142/99 mmHg during the first 5 minutes of inversion. Oxygen uptake increased from 341 ml.min-1 to 456 ml.min-1. Heart rate decreased significantly from (A) to (B). Double product, frequency of breaths, and tidal volume were not significantly changed from (A) to (B). Blood pressure, double product, ventilation, frequency of breaths, oxygen uptake, and METS increased significantly from the first 5 minutes of inversion (B) to the second 5 minutes of inversion with sit-ups (C). Arterial blood pressure increased from 142/99 mmHg (B) to 163/104 mmHg (C). The diastolic value remained significantly increased following the muscle strengthening exercise. Double product increased from 104 (B) to 126 (C), and oxygen uptake increased from 456 ml.min-1 (B) to 565 ml.min-1 (C). Following inversion/sit-ups (C), oxygen uptake decreased significantly during the third 5 minutes of inversion (D). Systolic blood pressure was also significantly decreased at (D) following the sit-ups. Upon returning to the standing position (E) versus the third 5 minutes of inversion (D), arterial blood pressure decreased significantly from 151/108 mmHg (D) to 123/84 mmHg (E). The postinversion/standing (E) blood pressure was nonsignificantly different from the preinversion/standing (A) blood pressure as was also the case with heart rate, double product, and tidal volume. Ventilation, frequency of breaths, oxygen uptake, and METS were still significantly increased during (E) versus (A). These data illustrate the influence of muscular exercise on the cardiorespiratory system during full -90 degree inversion. The increase in blood pressure is no cause for concern, and the assumed dangerous effects of full inversion have been overestimated.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johns
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena