Abstract
[Excerpt] Excessive sedentary behavior is a risk factor for arterial stiffness, cardiovascular disease, and mortality [1, 2]. Experimental studies report vascular impairment from prolonged sitting protocols of 3–6 h in length [3, 4], and interrupting sedentary behavior appears to mitigate these detrimental effects [3]. However, the acute effects of prolonged sitting on pulse wave velocity (PWV) are unclear. Guidelines recommend assessment of PWV in a supine posture [5], yet the true effect of prolonged sitting on PWV may be impacted by the seated-to-supine posture change prior to measurement. Though measurement in a seated posture may thus be preferred, the measurement properties of PWV while maintaining a seated posture are unknown. Thus, we studied the validity (two tests) and reliability (one test) of PWV assessment in a seated posture.