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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
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Rodent Working Heart Model for the Study of Myocardial Performance and Oxygen Consumption
Published on: August 16, 2016
Left Ventricular Mechanics and Myocardial Work in Competitive Sprinters
1Department of Cardiology, Dr. Siyami Ersek Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Center, Istanbul, Turkey.
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
|July 29, 2026
Summary
Long-term sprint training in athletes preserves left ventricular (LV) mechanics and myocardial work (MW) indices. This suggests physiological cardiac adaptation rather than maladaptation to high-intensity exercise.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Physiology
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Sprint exercise involves high-intensity anaerobic activity with known hemodynamic and autonomic effects.
- Long-term impacts of sprint training on left ventricular (LV) mechanics and myocardial work (MW) are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and MW indices in competitive sprinters.
- To investigate cardiac adaptations in response to chronic high-intensity anaerobic training.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of 65 competitive sprinters and 40 healthy sedentary controls.
- Comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography with 2D speckle-tracking and non-invasive MW analysis.
- Quantification of GLS, global myocardial work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global myocardial work efficiency (GWE).
Main Results:
- Sprinters exhibited lower resting heart rate and higher stroke volume than controls.
- No significant differences were found in LV GLS and principal MW indices (GWI, GCW, GWW, GWE) between sprinters and controls.
- High reproducibility (good-to-excellent agreement) was observed for MW measurements.
Conclusions:
- Long-term sprint training is associated with preserved myocardial mechanics and MW indices.
- Findings support physiological cardiac adaptation in competitive sprinters exposed to chronic high-intensity anaerobic exercise.
- No evidence of maladaptive cardiac changes was observed.
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