ICS Isometric The reduction of hypertension through isometric exercise Research Assistant

We have gained funding from Public Health (PH) West Northamptonshire (£42,000, matched funded by the university) to recruit a Graduate Teaching Assistant as a parttime PhD. student and to support PH, as a Research Assistant (RA) to undertake health checks within the community and to treat those diagnosed with high blood pressure with the isometric bands (iso-band), designed here at the university (going through IP and patent at this time). This project will be starting towards the end of the summer (August/September); however, it is essential that preliminary work is undertaken to ensure that the project can begin on time.

Undertaking the small research projects identified below will allow the above collaboration with PH West Northamptonshire to focus much more on getting the research into the community and therefore increasing the reach of the ICS. The collaborative project will allow PH to diagnose more individuals in Northamptonshire with hypertension a focus area for PH and reduce the number of patients being treated for hypertension once they have completed the isometric treatment package (Northamptonshire has above the national average of hypertensives). The collaboration will help to progress the ICS and also provide feasibility data for the Isometric Exercise NIHR funding application, which will be submitted once we have the provisional data (£150,000).

The preparation will include the identification, validation and reliability of a further six isometric exercises to undertake with the iso-band. At this time we have four validated exercises but would need more for the start of the project (the more choice individuals have will increase their enjoyment/engagement and therefore their adherence to the treatment package). This would involve the identification of the proposed exercises in addition to undertaking a research project to determine the acute cardiovascular responses to the 2-minute exercise compared to the established/validated isometric devises (handgrip) in addition to a second research project to compere the cardiovascular responses to a full training bout (4 x 2 min exercise with 2-mins recovery between contractions). Additionally, to complete the outlined research there would be a need to produce more of the isometric exercise bands. Furthermore, the RA would be tasked with developing the physical and online support material needed to allow individuals to access support for the treatment package whilst undertaking the excises at home. Therefore, we would like to apply for funding to employ a RA for a three-month period to undertake the research, in addition to the other tasks outlined above.

Undertaking the small research projects identified below will allow the collaboration with Public Health (PH) West Northamptonshire to focus much more on getting the research into the community and therefore increasing the reach of the project. The collaborative project will allow PH to diagnose more individuals in Northamptonshire with hypertension a focus area for PH and reduce the number of patients being treated for high blood pressure once they have completed the isometric treatment package (Northamptonshire has above the national average of hypertensives).
The preparation will include the identification, validation and reliability of a further six isometric exercises to undertake with the ISOBand. At this time, we have four validated exercises but would need more for the start of the project (the more choice individuals have will increase their enjoyment/engagement and therefore their adherence to the treatment package). This would involve the identification of the proposed exercises in addition to undertaking a research project to determine the acute cardiovascular responses to the 2-minute exercise compared to the established/validated isometric devises (handgrip). In Addition a second research project will compere the cardiovascular responses to a full training bout (4 x 2 min exercise with 2-min recovery between contractions). Additionally, to complete the outlined research there would be a need to produce more of the isometric exercise bands. Furthermore, the research assistant (RA) would be tasked with developing the physical and online support material needed to allow individuals to access support for the treatment package whilst undertaking the excises at home. Therefore, we would like to apply for funding to employ a RA for a three-month period to undertake the research, in addition to the other tasks outlined above.

The research was completed successfully. A further six isometric exercises were validated to add to the original four. Additionally, the support documentation was developed and improved to provide to provide the support for participants undertaking the exercise programme at home