Functional alterations in athletes with increased interrupted breath-holdings during physical efforts

Goal: to study functional changes in cardiovascular and respiratory systems under physical stress, combined with interrupted prolonged breath-holdings in athletes of different sports having different levels of physical endurance and hypoxic stability. Organization and research methods. Track-and-field athletes, basketball players and free-divers rotated velo ergometer pedals in combination with interrupted prolonged breath-holdings up to the breaking point. Physical activity duration, arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate (HR) were recorded. Research results. Athletes-beginners showed low physical endurance combined with interrupted breath-holdings. The endurance of basketball players was 2 times higher. Their SpO2 decreased by 6%, and the HR increased by 20%. Free-divers demonstrated 2-4 times higher endurance than those of athletes and basketball players respectively. They had decreased SpO2 by 7%, and HR – by 10%. Conclusion. Bradycardia of free-divers can be explained by decrease in oxygen demand of body organs and tissues, which ensured greater physical endurance with interrupted breath-holdings.

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