Heart rate variability to assess ventilatory thresholds in professional basketball players

The aim of this study was to determine if heart rate variability (HRV) during incremental test could be used to estimate ventilatory threshold (VT) in professional basketball players, with sufficient precision to be used in their training. Furthermore, the second aim was to analyse the association between HRV and 3 methods of VT determination by gas analysis.

Twenty-four professional basketball players (age: 23.4 ± 4.9 years; height: 195.4 ± 9.8 cm; body mass: 92.2 ± 11.9 kg) performed an incremental running test to exhaustion. First ventilatory threshold (VT1) was determined by ventilatory equivalent (VE) and HRV and second ventilatory threshold (VT2) was determined by 3 methods of gases analysis (V-slope, VE and gas exchange ratio (R), and HRV). Pearson's coefficient (r) was used to detect differences between data and the strength of each relationship. The mean of absolute differences and Bland-Altman analysis were used to evaluate whether there was agreement.

The results showed no significant differences in HR and oxygen consumption (VO₂) at VT1 between the 2 methods. Furthermore, no significant differences among the methods of gases analysis and HRV were observed in speed, HR, and VO₂ at VT2. Moreover, VTs estimated using HRV and gas methods were significantly correlated. Correlation in HR values was higher between R and HRV (r = 0.96) and VE and HRV (r = 0.96) than V-slope and HRV (r = 0.90).

These findings provide a practical, inexpensive approach for evaluating specific training loads when determining VT2 in basketball players. Therefore, HRV is an alternative method to determine VT2 without the application of expensive technology that limits its use to laboratories.