# 12 Weeks of Supervised Team Sports in Danish Municipal Health Center Lowers Systolic Blood Pressure and Increases Performance in Hypertensive Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

## TL;DR

A 12-week team sports program at a Danish health center lowered blood pressure and improved performance in patients with hypertension, COPD, and type 2 diabetes.

## Contribution

Demonstrates that supervised team sports in a municipal setting can effectively reduce systolic blood pressure and improve functional capacity in patients with complex chronic conditions.

## Key findings

- Systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in both COPD and T2DM patients after 12 weeks of team sports.
- Functional performance improved notably as measured by the 'Up and Go' test in COPD and T2DM patients.
- No significant changes were observed in body mass, chair stand performance, or handgrip strength.

## Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a significant public health issue, particularly in individuals with comorbidities such as COPD and T2DM, which exacerbate cardiovascular risk and impair quality of life. While physical activity is an effective intervention for reducing blood pressure and improving health markers, conventional therapies often lack the social and psychological benefits of team sports. Team sports conducted as small-sided games provide a dynamic, engaging approach that combines physical, social, and psychological advantages, making them particularly suitable for individuals with complex chronic conditions. Methods: This non-randomized intervention study involved twenty-eight hypertensive patients, including 16 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (8 men and 8 women) and 12 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (7 men and 5 women). Participants engaged in a training program, primarily consisting of team sports (floorball and cone ball), at a municipal health center twice a week for 12 weeks. Results: The intervention led to a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.006), with patients with COPD and T2DM showing decreases of 9.6 ± 12.7 mmHg and 12.4 ± 19.0 mmHg, respectively. Additionally, the time to complete the 2.45 m “Up and Go” test improved significantly (p < 0.001), with both COPD (p = 0.011) and T2DM (p = 0.005) patients demonstrating notable improvements. However, no significant changes were observed in body mass, chair stand performance, five-repetition sit-to-stand test, handgrip strength, or diastolic blood pressure following the intervention. Conclusions: Team sports training conducted in a municipality health center is effective in lowering blood pressure and improving functional capacity in hypertensive COPD and T2DM patients.