Heart-Rate Variability in Elite Synchronized Swimmers.

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Physiology
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Monitoring training load and recovery is crucial for elite athletes.
• Heart-rate variability (HRV) is a common non-invasive tool to assess autonomic nervous system function and training status.
• Elite synchronized swimmers face unique physiological demands due to breath-holding and intense routines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between heart-rate variability (HRV) and other training load and tolerance markers in elite synchronized swimmers.
• To assess the effectiveness of HRV in monitoring the physiological impact of a training session on these athletes.

Main Methods:

• Resting HRV was recorded in 12 elite synchronized swimmers prior to a major competition.
• Heart rate, salivary cortisol (SC), capillary blood lactate (La), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured.
• Associations between peak lactate (La_peak), SC, RPE, and changes in HRV (LnRMSSD) were analyzed.

Main Results:

• No clinically significant changes were observed in LnRMSSD (a measure of HRV).
• Peak blood lactate (La_peak) showed positive correlations with changes in LnRMSSD and SC.
• Bradycardia was noted during apneic exercises, highlighting specific physiological responses.

Conclusions:

• While HRV did not change significantly, other markers like SC and RPE suggested positive adaptation to training stress.
• Relying solely on HRV may lead to misinterpretation of autonomic nervous system status in elite synchronized swimmers.
• The diving response can influence HRV, potentially confounding its interpretation in this specific athletic population.