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Published on: September 21, 2018
Heart rate variability before and after knee surgery in amateur soccer players
Nicolas Olivier1, Renaud Legrand, Jacques Rogez
1University of Lille 2, LEMH-EA 3608, France. oliviern@neuf.fr
Insights
Hospitalization after knee surgery significantly impacts athletes' heart rate variability (HRV). Athletes experienced increased resting heart rate and autonomic nervous system disturbance, highlighting the physiological effects of recovery periods.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Function
Background:
- Hospitalization and surgical recovery can induce physiological stress.
- Athletes often experience unique physiological responses to medical interventions.
- Understanding the impact on heart rate variability (HRV) is crucial for athlete recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of a hospitalization period following knee surgery on heart rate variability (HRV) in athletes.
- To analyze changes in autonomic nervous system function in response to surgical recovery.
Main Methods:
- Study included ten soccer players who underwent knee surgery.
- Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured before and after a 7-day hospitalization period.
Main Results:
- A significant increase in resting heart rate (3 beats/minute) was observed post-hospitalization.
- Significant reductions in cardiac inter-beat interval (R-R interval) by 7% and total power spectral density by 66% were noted (P < 0.05).
- A 64% decrease in high frequencies (HF) indicated a potential disturbance in cardiac vagal activity (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Hospitalization following knee surgery in athletes leads to an elevated resting heart rate.
- The recovery period is associated with significant disturbances in autonomic nervous system function, particularly cardiac vagal activity.
- These findings underscore the physiological impact of hospitalization on athletic recovery and autonomic balance.
Objective:
To analyze the consequences on heart rate variability (HRV) of a hospitalization period due to surgery of the knee in sportsmen.
Patients:
Ten soccer players who had undergone knee surgery took part in this study.
Design:
HRV was measured before and after hospitalization within a 7-day interval.
Results:
After the hospitalization phase, heart rate at rest increased significantly (3 beats/minute). A significant decrease of 7% in the cardiac inter beat interval (R-R interval), P < 0.05 and a 66% decrease in total power spectral density: -66%, P < 0.05 were observed. The disturbance of the autonomic nervous system could be due to a variation in cardiac vagal activity resulting in a 64% decrease in the high frequencies (P < 0.05). This variation was not associated with a modification in normalized markers (LFn.u., HFn.u.) and LF/HF ratio (P > 0.05).
Conclusion:
In sportsmen, a hospitalization period led to an increase in resting heart rate and was associated with a disturbance of the autonomic nervous system.
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