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. 2024 Apr 13;21(4):476.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph21040476.

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

Nina Krobot Cutura  1   2 , Maksimilijan Mrak  3 , Dominik-Mate Cutura  1   2 , Ivanka Petric Vickovic  4 , Lana Ruzic  2
Affiliations

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

Nina Krobot Cutura et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

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: body position; intraocular pressure; isometric exercise; ocular health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Intraocular pressure alterations related to elbow plank performance. *: significant difference.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Intraocular pressure alterations related to reverse plank performance. *: significant difference.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Intraocular pressure alterations related to right-side plank performance. *: significant difference.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Intraocular pressure alterations related to wall sit performance.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Comparison of intraocular pressure values immediately after the exercises’ completion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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