Prolonged sitting (3-6 hours) negatively impacts peripheral vascular health. Whether sitting similarly impacts central cardiovascular hemodynamics and vascular stiffness is unknown. Purpose: Determine if prolonged sitting increases central blood pressure, aortic pulse wave reflection and vascular stiffness. Methods: In 10 subjects (Age=22±2 yrs, BMI=28±4kg/m2, 3 females), brachial artery pulse wave analysis was performed before (baseline-BL), during, and after 3 hours of sitting. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was examined before and after sitting using carotid applanation tonometry coupled with oscillometry performed on left upper-thigh. For mechanistic insight, intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) was applied during sitting (i.e., 3, 120 mmHg compression cycles per minute, 30 mins on/off) in a sub-set (N=9). Results: During sitting, there was no change in heart rate (P>0.05); however, it tended (p=0.079) to be lower with IPC. No changes were noted for central blood pressure during sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). Augmentation pressure and index (AIx), wave reflection height and magnitude all exhibited significant decreases over course of sitting, most notable at 180 mins (e.g., AIx at BL=7±5, vs. 180 mins sitting=-3±3%, p=0.03). IPC appeared to mitigate these changes (sitting with vs. without IPC; AIx, 120 mins diff in mean=9.7%, p=0.018). No change was observed for aortic PWV in response to sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting decreases aortic pulse wave reflection but does not impact vascular stiffness. IPC tends to reduce heart rate and restrain central hemodynamic changes which may be the result of a reduction in venous pooling in the legs.
","abstract_html":"<p>Prolonged sitting (3-6 hours) negatively impacts peripheral vascular health. Whether sitting similarly impacts central cardiovascular hemodynamics and vascular stiffness is unknown. <strong>Purpose: </strong>Determine if prolonged sitting increases central blood pressure, aortic pulse wave reflection and vascular stiffness. <strong>Methods:</strong> In 10 subjects (Age=22±2 yrs, BMI=28±4kg/m<sup>2</sup>, 3 females), brachial artery pulse wave analysis was performed before (baseline-BL), during, and after 3 hours of sitting. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was examined before and after sitting using carotid applanation tonometry coupled with oscillometry performed on left upper-thigh. For mechanistic insight, intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) was applied during sitting (i.e., 3, 120 mmHg compression cycles per minute, 30 mins on/off) in a sub-set (N=9). <strong>Results:</strong> During sitting, there was no change in heart rate (P>0.05); however, it tended (p=0.079) to be lower with IPC. No changes were noted for central blood pressure during sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). Augmentation pressure and index (AIx), wave reflection height and magnitude all exhibited significant decreases over course of sitting, most notable at 180 mins (e.g., AIx at BL=7±5, vs. 180 mins sitting=-3±3%, p=0.03). IPC appeared to mitigate these changes (sitting with vs. without IPC; AIx, 120 mins diff in mean=9.7%, p=0.018). No change was observed for aortic PWV in response to sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). <strong>Conclusion: </strong>Prolonged sitting decreases aortic pulse wave reflection but does not impact vascular stiffness. IPC tends to reduce heart rate and restrain central hemodynamic changes which may be the result of a reduction in venous pooling in the legs.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Downey, Anna Kayleigh"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":"Kinesiology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Daniel Credeur","Scott Piland","Trenton Gould"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:50Z","subjects":["IPC","PWA","PWV","Prolonged Sitting","Central Hemodynamics","Daniel Credeur","Exercise Science"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/366","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Daniel Credeur","Scott Piland","Trenton Gould"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Downey, Anna Kayleigh"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-03-28T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Kinesiology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["IPC","PWA","PWV","Prolonged Sitting","Central Hemodynamics","Daniel Credeur","Exercise Science"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/366"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Prolonged sitting (3-6 hours) negatively impacts peripheral vascular health. Whether sitting similarly impacts central cardiovascular hemodynamics and vascular stiffness is unknown. Purpose: Determine if prolonged sitting increases central blood pressure, aortic pulse wave reflection and vascular stiffness. Methods: In 10 subjects (Age=22±2 yrs, BMI=28±4kg/m2, 3 females), brachial artery pulse wave analysis was performed before (baseline-BL), during, and after 3 hours of sitting. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was examined before and after sitting using carotid applanation tonometry coupled with oscillometry performed on left upper-thigh. For mechanistic insight, intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) was applied during sitting (i.e., 3, 120 mmHg compression cycles per minute, 30 mins on/off) in a sub-set (N=9). Results: During sitting, there was no change in heart rate (P>0.05); however, it tended (p=0.079) to be lower with IPC. No changes were noted for central blood pressure during sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). Augmentation pressure and index (AIx), wave reflection height and magnitude all exhibited significant decreases over course of sitting, most notable at 180 mins (e.g., AIx at BL=7±5, vs. 180 mins sitting=-3±3%, p=0.03). IPC appeared to mitigate these changes (sitting with vs. without IPC; AIx, 120 mins diff in mean=9.7%, p=0.018). No change was observed for aortic PWV in response to sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting decreases aortic pulse wave reflection but does not impact vascular stiffness. IPC tends to reduce heart rate and restrain central hemodynamic changes which may be the result of a reduction in venous pooling in the legs.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Impact of Prolonged Sitting on Central Hemodynamics: Role of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Therapy"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Daniel Credeur","Scott Piland","Trenton Gould"],"dc:creator":["Downey, Anna Kayleigh"],"dc:date.available":["2018-03-28T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Prolonged sitting (3-6 hours) negatively impacts peripheral vascular health. Whether sitting similarly impacts central cardiovascular hemodynamics and vascular stiffness is unknown. Purpose: Determine if prolonged sitting increases central blood pressure, aortic pulse wave reflection and vascular stiffness. Methods: In 10 subjects (Age=22±2 yrs, BMI=28±4kg/m2, 3 females), brachial artery pulse wave analysis was performed before (baseline-BL), during, and after 3 hours of sitting. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was examined before and after sitting using carotid applanation tonometry coupled with oscillometry performed on left upper-thigh. For mechanistic insight, intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) was applied during sitting (i.e., 3, 120 mmHg compression cycles per minute, 30 mins on/off) in a sub-set (N=9). Results: During sitting, there was no change in heart rate (P>0.05); however, it tended (p=0.079) to be lower with IPC. No changes were noted for central blood pressure during sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). Augmentation pressure and index (AIx), wave reflection height and magnitude all exhibited significant decreases over course of sitting, most notable at 180 mins (e.g., AIx at BL=7±5, vs. 180 mins sitting=-3±3%, p=0.03). IPC appeared to mitigate these changes (sitting with vs. without IPC; AIx, 120 mins diff in mean=9.7%, p=0.018). No change was observed for aortic PWV in response to sitting, with or without IPC (p>0.05). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting decreases aortic pulse wave reflection but does not impact vascular stiffness. IPC tends to reduce heart rate and restrain central hemodynamic changes which may be the result of a reduction in venous pooling in the legs.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/366"],"dc:subject":["IPC","PWA","PWV","Prolonged Sitting","Central Hemodynamics","Daniel Credeur","Exercise Science"],"dc:title":["Impact of Prolonged Sitting on Central Hemodynamics: Role of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Therapy"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Kinesiology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:50Z"}