Heart Sports

The Athletic Heart: A Study of Cardiac Adaptations to Physical Activity

Introduction

Physical activity has many positive effects on human health, and one of the main systems that undergoes changes under the influence of training is the cardiovascular system. In people who engage in sports for a long time, an interesting adaptation of the heart is observed, which leads to the formation of the so-called “athletic heart”. In this article we will look at the main features of the sports heart and its impact on the health of athletes.

Features of a sports heart

The athletic heart is characterized by a number of specific changes in structure and function. One of the first changes that can be noticed is hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart. Constant physical activity stimulates the heart muscle to increase its mass and volume, which leads to thickening of the walls of the left ventricle. This is an adaptive response of the body to the increased need for blood circulation and oxygen during physical activity.

In addition, moderate dilatation, that is, expansion of the cavities of the heart, can be observed in an athlete’s heart. This is due to the increased volume of blood that the heart must pump to provide the body with sufficient oxygen and nutrients during physical activity.

Another feature of an athletic heart is increased myocardial contractility. The heart of athletes has

> “Athletic heart” is a concept from sports medicine that denotes changes in heart rhythm and functions in athletes. Heart rate has become one of the most important indicators of the performance of cardiac fibers in the human body (heart function is considered the second most important indicator determining the state of health). Athletes achieve increased adaptability of the body by developing oxidative processes, so the properties of the heart are improved. The state of blood circulation in athletes largely depends on the properties of their blood circulation. It improves because during exercise, part of the venous blood moves into the muscles, increasing blood circulation and removing the threat of edema. An athlete's heart processes a large volume of blood, and all changes occurring in it are considered compensation for physiological losses.

Sports physiology today considers five different indicators of cardiac muscle performance. These are: - blood pressure, - pulse pressure, - the volume of blood that is pumped within one second, - efficiency; – presence of oxygen in the blood.

Since all these values ​​have changed, the heart muscle in sports mode works more efficiently than in an ordinary person. As the heart adapts to the stress, more and more blood cells are pumped, functioning much stronger. Therefore, there is an increase in the volume of pumped blood and