title: Effect on cardiovascular system and autonomic nervous system in healthy adults with different body types while performing movements simulating washing of the lower limbs for cardiac rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the effects on the cardiovascular system and autonomic nervous system of activities simulating washing of the lower limbs in subjects with different body types (underweight body mass index [BMI] < 18.5, normal weight BMI 18.5-24.9, overweight BMI ≥ 25).
  
  
  METHODS
  Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), skin blood flow (BF), and HR variability were measured in 15 healthy adults while performing movements similar to washing the lower limbs. Changes in SBP, DBP, HR, BF, double product (DP), low-frequency values (LF), high-frequency values (HF) and the ratio between the powers of LF and HF (LF/HF) during activities performed from the supine position (ΔSBP, ΔDBP, ΔHR, ΔBF, ΔDP, ΔLF, ΔHF and ΔLF/HF) were compared among subjects grouped according to body type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ΔHR and ΔDP in the overweight group were significantly lower than in underweight and normal weight groups (ΔHR, underweight P < 0.05 and normal weight P < 0.05; ΔDP, underweight P < 0.05 and normal weight P < 0.001). Moreover, ΔDP in the underweight group was significantly lower than in the normal weight group (normal weight P < 0.05). ΔBF and ΔLF/HF in the normal weight group were significantly lower than in underweight and overweight groups (ΔBF, underweight P < 0.05 and overweight group P < 0.05; ΔLF/HF, underweight P < 0.05 and overweight P < 0.01). ΔHF in the overweight group was significantly lower than in the normal weight group (normal weight P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect on the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems by movements simulating washing of the lower limbs differed according to body type.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan. murarei@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Tamiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Kikuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koitabashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D012046:Rehabilitation