Dr.Hab., Professor V.D. Povzun¹
PhD, Associate Professor A.A. Povzun^1
1Surgut State University, Surgut

Keywords: functional capabilities, cardiovascular system, adaptive capabilities, physical loads, flight.

Background. The cardiovascular system is known to be indicative of the adaptive reactions of the body to almost all environmental factors, including physical loads [2, 4]. It is its functional reserves that most often determine and limit the sports result, while the hemodynamic disorders become the first indication of inconsistent excess and distribution of physical loads while designing the training process [3]. Such inconsistency may lead to a reduction in the gain of the training experience and, as a consequence, sports result, as well as to the development of various undesirable syndromes. Any attempts to improve the result by intensifying the training loads in these conditions will lead to overtension and overtraining.  That is why a quick, accessible, and timely assessment of the current adaptive reserve and functional state of the body, especially hemodynamics, provides a trainer with the relevant information on planning the intensity and distributing the training loads. Among the indicators that objectively characterize the functional reserve of the athlete’s body, the central hemodynamic indices are of the principal interest.

Objective of the study was to identify changes in the central hemodynamic indices in highly-skilled athletes after a flight across several time zones.

Methods and structure of the study. The study included an analysis of the functional state of the cardiovascular system in the female swimmers of the same age group who had the sports qualifications of Masters of Sport and higher. The subjects were examined after flying through several time zones to the training camps and three weeks after their stay outside their habitual time zone. The measurement logic and procedure are described in detail in this paper [1].

The athletes’ reaction to physical loads was assessed based on the indicators and indices that reflect the state of both the adaptive and functional capabilities of the cardiovascular system. Moreover, to calculate these values, the data obtained from the biological rhythm evaluation should be sufficient and no load testing should be required.

The available data included: heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, pulse (PP) and average dynamic (ADD) pressure, systolic volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO). Based on the daily average values of these indicators, we calculated: vegetative index of Kerdo (VT=(1-DBP/HR)x100), index of functional changes in the circulatory system (FCI=0.011HR+0.014SBP+0.008DBP+0.014A+0.009BM–0.009H–0.27), where A is age, years old; BM – body mass, kg; H - height, cm; type of self-regulation of circulation (TSC=DBP/HRх100), circulatory deficiency coefficient (CDC=DBP/HR), circulatory endurance coefficient (CE=HR/PPх10), circulatory efficiency coefficient (CEC=(SBP-DBP)хHR), Robinson index or double product (RI=HRхSBP/100).

Results and discussion. The data obtained are presented in the table. Due to the abundance of the digital material, the table presents the milestone results only, as the remaining data did not differ statistically significantly from those reported.

The analysis of the dynamics of changes in the hemodynamic indices showed that the data obtained during the present study were similar to those obtained in the earlier studies. The female athletes were characterized by a fairly high adaptive reserve of the body, in spite of some degree of tension of the adaptation mechanisms reflected by the acceptable FCI value. They also had an excellent aerobic working capacity defined by the Robinson index (double product), because the lower the double product at rest the higher the maximum aerobic capacity and hence the adaptive and functional capabilities of the body. This is natural given the specialization of the female athletes, which is primarily aimed to train endurance.

Changes in the functional indicators of the cardiovascular system of the highly-skilled female athletes outside their geographic region and habitual time zone.

However, with the high potential hemodynamic resources in girls, there is almost no resource economization, and this, again, is observed in a state of rest. The changes in the circulatory deficiency and efficiency coefficients indicated an increase in the energy expenditures on the blood flow. Nevertheless, these indicators were within the physiological norm and did not give cause for concern. In our case, a rather sharp decrease in the endurance rate (almost to the lowest level), which characterizes the level of preparedness of the cardiovascular system for physical loads indicated a significant decrease in the functional capabilities as a reaction to flight rather than the onset of fatigue, because the initial CE was within the norm. These values no longer restore, so such a pronounced decrease is associated not so much with the internal restructuring as with the changes in the central regulatory mechanisms. This is evidenced by the sharp increase in the Kerdo index, which reflects the vegetative balance shift towards sympathicotonia, which inevitably leads to the functional tension and exhaustion of the bodily reserves. Such energy consumption may be varied, but in our case, it leads to the shift of tension in the circulatory system towards the heart, which significantly increases the strain on the heart, as evidenced by the change in the type of self-regulation of circulation. Competitive and training load planning in these conditions becomes particularly challenging, since this reaction may last for days.

Conclusion. The picture observed in the group of girls indicates that all changes in the circulatory system are the result of urgent adaptation of the autonomic regulation system. It is important to understand that the hemodynamic indices were assessed in the state of rest, which reflects a reaction not to the immediate physical load but to the time zone change. This makes it possible to assess the athlete’s initial state and can and should therefore be used to plan training loads. The increase in the depth of breathing under intense physical loads is inevitably accompanied by a decrease in its frequency, which, in terms of the high HR caused by sympathicotonia, will lead to the disruption of the inter-system relationships between the motor and vegetative functions. In this case, the increased Hildebrandt coefficient will be a prognostic value of the physiological failure of the body to further perform intense physical loads.

Consequently, it is mandatory to take into account the effects of the time zone offset on the athlete’s body, especially in event of changes in the regulatory status due to the latitudinal displacement. In some cases, the negative effects of such displacement can be eliminated by means of well-constructed recreational activities. In other cases, there is a need for strict hemodynamic treatment of the bodily reaction to physical loads.

References

1. Apokin V.V., Povzun A.A., Rodionov V.A. et al Biorhythmological analysis of changes in body's adaptive capability of female athletes during long flights from east to west. Teoriya i praktika fizicheskoy kultury, 2010, no. 11, pp. 95-98.
2. Apokin V.V., Povzun A.A., Povzun V.D. et al. Specifics of urgent adaptation of cardiovascular system in athletes at latitudinal displacement. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2015. No. 12. pp. 81- 83.
3. Iordanskaya F.A., Yudintseva M.S. Health monitoring and functional fitness of elite athletes in educational process and competitive activity. Moscow: Sovetskiy sport. 2006. 184 p.
4. Povzun A.A., Apokin V.V., Peshkov A.A. Evaluation of changes in nonspecific adaptive capability of highly skilled athletes in terms of cardiovascular system during long flights. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2011. No. 9. pp. 87-89.
5. Povzun A.A., Apokin V.V., Povzun V.D. et al. Functional state of cardiovascular system in Middle Ob athletes at latitudinal displacement. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. 2016. No. 1. pp. 87- 89.
6. Savinykh L.E., Povzun A.A., Apokin V.V., Kiseleva A.A. Biorhythmological alalysis of influence of long flights on condition of nonspecific adaptability of organism of female athletes. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2010, no. 10, pp. 102-104.

Corresponding author: povzun64@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to identify changes in the central hemodynamic indices in highly-skilled athletes after a flight across several time zones.

Methods and structure of the study. The study included an analysis of the functional state of the cardiovascular system in the female swimmers of the same age group who had the sports qualifications of Masters of Sport and higher. The subjects were examined after flying through several time zones to the training camps and three weeks after their stay outside their habitual time zone. The measurement logic and procedure are described in detail in this paper.

The athletes’ reaction to physical loads was assessed based on the indicators and indices that reflect the state of both the adaptive and functional capabilities of the cardiovascular system. Moreover, to calculate these values, the data obtained from the biological rhythm evaluation should be sufficient and no load testing should be required.

Results and conclusion. Despite its controversy, the index method is quite informative and, with the right choice of estimates, facilitates a quick and cost-effective evaluation of the functional capabilities of athletes and their hemodynamic indices in particular. This makes it possible to plan the training tactics, which, in turn, makes it possible to achieve the maximum sports result at minimum "physiological" and health costs taking into account not only the influence of physical loads but also the effects of changes in the climatogeographic conditions and time zone offset.