Evaluating Intraocular Pressure Alterations during Large Muscle Group Isometric Exercises with Varying Head and Body Positions

Nina Krobot Cutura (), Maksimilijan Mrak, Dominik-Mate Cutura, Ivanka Petric Vickovic and Lana Ruzic
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Nina Krobot Cutura: Varazdin General Hospital, Ivana Mestrovica 1, 42000 Varazdin, Croatia
Maksimilijan Mrak: Karlovac General Hospital, A.Stampara 3, 47000 Karlovac, Croatia
Dominik-Mate Cutura: Varazdin General Hospital, Ivana Mestrovica 1, 42000 Varazdin, Croatia
Ivanka Petric Vickovic: Department of Ophthalmology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Centre, Vinogradska cesta 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Lana Ruzic: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Horvacanski zavoj 15, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Performing physical exercise affects intraocular pressure, and its elevation and fluctuations are the main risk factors for glaucoma development or progression. The aim of this study was to examine the acute alterations in intraocular pressure (IOP) during four unweighted isometric exercises and to determine whether the different head and body positions taken during exercise additionally affect IOP. Twelve healthy volunteers between the ages of 25 and 33 performed four isometric exercises: wall sit in neutral head and body position, elbow plank in prone head and body position, reverse plank in supine head and body position for 1 min, and right-side plank in lateral head and body position for 30 s. Intraocular pressure was measured by applanation portable tonometry, before performing the exercise, immediately after exercise completion, and after five minutes of rest. A significant acute increase in intraocular pressure was found as a response to the performance of the elbow plank ( p < 0.01), the reverse plank ( p < 0.001), and the right-side plank ( p < 0.001). The wall sit exercise did not reveal a statistically significant IOP elevation ( p = 0.232). Different head and body positions had no significant additional influence on IOP (F (3,33) = 0.611; p = 0.613), even though the alteration in IOP was found to be greater in exercises with a lower head and body position. Our data revealed that IOP elevation seems to be affected by the performance of the elbow plank, the reverse plank, and the right-side plank; and not by the wall sit exercise. More different isometric exercises should be examined to find ones that are safe to perform for glaucoma patients.

Keywords: isometric exercise; intraocular pressure; body position; ocular health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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