Hemodynamic adaptation to training in visually-impaired professional tandem cyclists

Cycling is one of the disciplines with the greatest training-induced volumetric changes in cardiovascular systems. The aim of the study was to evaluate the hemodynamic adaptation to 7-month routine training in athletes with and without severe visual impairment.

The study involved 26 men: visually-impaired (VI) (N.=13; 37±12.2 years) and properly-sighted (PS) (N.=13; 41±12.8 years) elite tandem-cycling athletes. They underwent hemodynamic variables monitoring at rest and during exercise test by impedance cardiography (ICG), before (in the middle of the transition period) and after 7-month cycling training (at the beginning of the competitive period).

At baseline, there were no statistically significant differences in hemodynamic variables between studied groups (P>0.05) apart from ejection fraction (EF) (P=0.010). After training, there was an increase in SVpeak (for PS: 146.46±7.10 mL vs. 169.69±5.19 mL; for VI: 147.53±9.55 mL vs. 160.07±12.27 mL), COpeak (for PS: 26.21±1.32 L/min vs. 30.65±0.94 L/min; for VI: 25.08±1.72 L/min vs. 27.95±2.17 L/min) and EFpeak (for PS: 65.46±2.04% vs. 71.92±2.36%; for VI: 61.46±2.19% vs. 65.538±2.895%). The decrease in HRrest (for PS: 74.91±2.8 bpm vs. 69.61±3.3 bpm; for VI: 76.7±3.8 bpm vs. 72.22±3.2 bpm) and SVRpeak (for PS: 311.92±20.48 PRU vs. 263.00±11.69 PRU; for VI: 365.46±24.26 PRU vs. 315.38±19.07 PRU) was also noted.

VI and PS tandem cyclists showed similar improvement in majority of hemodynamic variables (mainly volumetric changes). Severe visual impairment does not limit health benefits of regular physical activity. This could be the starting point to motivate inactive VI people to physical activity.