Effects of sixteen weeks exercise training on left ventricular dimensions and function in young athletes

Sandip M Hulke, Yuganti P Vaidya, Amandeepkour R Ratta

Abstract
Background: Exercise training-induced hemodynamic and electrophysiological changes in the myocardium lead to physiological left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy with preserved cardiac contractility and function, how much exact duration and intensity is enough for that?, is still not known. This must be known to clinician as the increasing involvement of young athletes in intensive training regimens.

Aims & Objective: To evaluate morphological changes in heart by echocardiography with sixteen weeks of exercise.

Materials and methods: Study comprises of sixteen weeks duration and was done on the students of physical education.This was a longitudinal study in which eighty-five subjects (43 male, 20.11 yrs ±1.137, 42 female, 19.81 yrs ± 1.89) were assessed using echocardiography and Medical Graphics CPX-D (for aerobic power) before the start of exercise program and at the end of exercise program. Statistical analysis was done using paired t test using Graph pad prism 5 software.

Results: No significant change was found in left ventricular morphology and ejection fraction after exercise program.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the exercise training over a period of sixteen weeks doesn’t influence cardiovascular morphology, but causes improvement in aerobic power.

Key words: Echocardiography; VO2max; Aerobic Exercise