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NCT Number: NCT07730879

How Wall Squat Exercise Affects Blood Pressure in People With High Blood Pressure and Treated Sleep Apnea (WALLPRESS)

This study will look at whether a simple exercise called the isometric wall squat can help lower blood pressure in adults who have both hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea treated with CPAP. Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes shallow during sleep, and it is closely linked to high blood pressure. Although CPAP helps treat sleep apnoea, it usually lowers blood pressure only a little, so additional non-drug strategies may be useful.

The study will compare two situations in the same participants: one session of wall squat exercise and one non-exercise control session. Each participant will take part in both sessions, but the order will be random. This design helps the researchers compare blood pressure changes more fairly within the same person.

Participants will first attend a familiarization session, where the study procedures will be explained and the exercise intensity will be checked. After that, they will complete the two study sessions at home, during their usual CPAP treatment visits. The sessions will be separated by at least 48 hours and completed within one week. Both sessions will be scheduled at the same time of day to reduce the effect of normal daily changes in blood pressure.

The main result the researchers will measure is the average systolic blood pressure during the 12 hours after each session, using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This means blood pressure will be measured over time while the participant goes about normal daily activities. The researchers want to find out whether a single session of wall squat exercise produces a greater blood pressure reduction than simply resting without exercise.

This study may help improve understanding of whether isometric exercise can be a practical, low-cost, home-based option to support blood pressure control in people with hypertension and CPAP-treated obstructive sleep apnoea.

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Key information

Conditions

Hypertension Apnea Cardiovascular Diseases Dyssomnias Nervous System Diseases Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Respiration Disorders Respiratory Tract Diseases Sleep Apnea Syndromes Sleep Apnea, Obstructive Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic Sleep Wake Disorders Vascular Diseases

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Nippon Sanso Homecare

Braga, Portugal

Location contact

Rafael Mariz, Bachelor

CONTACT

[email protected]

+351 963299791

Rafael Mariz, Bachelor

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 18-80 years old, with a diagnosis of hypertension and OSA confirmed by polysomnography or respiratory sleep study, with an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) of at least 15 events per hour, and with treatment with CPAP for at least three months.

Exclusion criteria

  • mean CPAP adherence <4 hours/night over the last month, documented by device download; heart failure, peripheral artery disease, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or chronic kidney disease; history of acute coronary syndrome, stroke or transient ischemic attack in the previous 12 months; relevant changes in antihypertensive or other cardiovascular pharmacotherapy or in CPAP prescription in the previous 3 months; any contraindication to exercise according to contemporary ESC/ACSM recommendations (e.g. unstable angina); pregnancy or breastfeeding; neurological and/or orthopaedic conditions that could interfere with exercise (e.g. severe knee osteoarthritis, recent lower-limb surgery); inability to read, understand or provide informed consent.

Treatment and study plan

Isometric Wall Squat

Other

4x2-min isometric wall squat contractions separated by 2-min rest periods.

Other names: wall squat

Primary outcomes

  1. 12-hour systolic blood pressure

    Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session

    Systolic blood pressure measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring every 30 minutes for 12 hours after the exercise or control session

Secondary outcomes

  1. 12-hour diastolic blood pressure

    Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session

    Diastolic blood pressure measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring every 30 minutes for 12 hours after the exercise or control session

  2. Short-term blood pressure variability

    Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session

    Standard deviation of ambulatory readings over 12 hours post-session

  3. Pulse pressure

    Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session

    Mean difference between systolic and diastolic ambulatory blood pressure during the 12 hours after the exercise or control session

Other outcomes

  1. Adverse events associated with the isometric wall squat exercise session.

    Time frame: From during the session to 72 hours after the exercise session

    Number and type of adverse events (e.g., skin irritation, limb discomfort, cramps, delayed onset muscle soreness) occurring during and/or after the isometric exercise session, classified by severity (mild, moderate, severe), relationship to the intervention (unrelated to definitely related), and type of event

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Fernando Ribeiro, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+351234372455

Rafael Mariz, Bachelor in Physiotherapy

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Aveiro University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Acute Blood Pressure Responses to Isometric Wall Squat Exercise in Adults With Hypertension and CPAP-Treated Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Acronym: WALLPRESS

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 28, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 28, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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