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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Dr Jim Wiles
jim.wiles@canterbury.ac.uk


Miss Ellie Santer
e.santer@kent.ac.uk


Prof Chris Farmer
C.Farmer-357@kent.ac.uk


More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.

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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Trial of isometric exercise to lower blood pressure
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Trial of isometric exercise to lower blood pressure

Recruiting

Open to: All Genders

Age: Mixed

Canterbury

Medical Conditions

Stage 1 and 2 hypertension

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


High blood pressure (BP) affects more than one in four adults in England and only one in three patients are being treated effectively. The cost of not being treated effectively is approximately £2.1 billion per year, mainly due to care related to strokes and heart attacks. Treatment of high BP includes changes to lifestyle, such as more physical activity and/or taking medication. Unfortunately, over 50% of hypertensives fail to reduce their BP to healthier levels as they do not fully adopt treatment. Evidence suggests that isometric exercise (IE) can lower BP a greater amount with less time and effort than other recommended types of exercise. Studies have shown that eight minutes of personalised IE, performed three times a week for 4 weeks can reduce resting BP significantly in unmedicated people. This study follows preliminary research by the same team, which considered whether wall-squat IE (squatting with your back against the wall) could be delivered in the NHS. Results found that participants easily achieved and enjoyed the exercise at home. Healthcare professionals also thought it was an achievable intervention. The IE has since been developed for patients to exercise at home without any involvement from a healthcare professional (self-delivered). A larger study is now needed to confirm if IE results in a consistent reduction in people's BP. This study aims to confirm whether wall-squat IE training will reduce BP in people with high BP.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

14 Apr 2025 30 Apr 2026

Publications

2025 Protocol article in https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41647769/ (added 04/03/2026)

A broad approach is being used to ask people to take part, including those from underserved groups. This will include advertising on social media, through community settings, GP surgeries, hospitals and pharmacies. All participants will be given a BP monitor and healthy lifestyle advice, and be asked to record their BP at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Half the participants will be randomly enrolled on an IE training programme for 6 months. This involves completing three IE wall-squat sessions per week, taking less than 15 minutes each time. Participants will complete online questionnaires on diet and exercise at baseline, 3 months, 6 months (and 12 months in the IE subgroup) and quality of life questionnaire at baseline and 3 months (also at 12 months in the IE subgroup).

Patient and Public Involvement
The study was designed with patient/public contributors and has continued support from three public co-applicants who are part of the study team.


Adult patients aged 18 years and over with a high BP diagnosis and without any complex health conditions.

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Alteration to antihypertensive medications (either dose or number of medications) within 6 weeks prior to screening2. Receiving a β-blocker3. Averaged home SBP <120 mmHg following 3 days screening4. Ischaemic heart disease, stroke or transient ischaemic attack in the past 3 months5. Moderate or severe valvular heart disease, atrial or ventricular arrhythmia, congenital or inherited heart condition6. Pregnancy or actively trying to conceive7. Enrolled in CTIMP/device/another interventional study of BP.8. Any condition that would be made worse by doing the wall squat exercise


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
    Kent & Canterbury Hospital Ethelbert Road
    Canterbury
    CT1 3NG

Participants will benefit from receiving a BP monitor to measure their BP at home. Participants may benefit from improvements in leg strength and fitness over the training period. They may also experience an improvement in their BP measurements (even in the control group with the lifestyle advice).
Participants may experience typical reactions to performing exercise, including a burning sensation in the legs and an increased heart rate. There is potential to experience slight muscle aching in the two days after the exercise when participants first start to do the exercise programme. The risk of sudden heart problems (like a heart attack) during or after doing isometric exercise is very low.

Miss Ellie Santer
e.santer@kent.ac.uk


Dr Jim Wiles
jim.wiles@canterbury.ac.uk


Prof Chris Farmer
C.Farmer-357@kent.ac.uk



More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.


The study is sponsored by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and funded by Research for Patient Benefit Programme; Alan Squirrell Artificial Kidney Unit Trust.



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Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN28188474

Or CPMS 57418

Last updated 04 March 2026

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