PhD R.I. Andrianova¹
D.V. Fedoseev²
M.V. Lenshina³
PhD E.A. Lubyshev^{4, 5
1}State University of Management, Moscow
²Academy of Physical Culture and Sports, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don
³Voronezh State Institute of Physical Culture, Voronezh
⁴Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow
⁵Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow

Corresponding author: rausha9nomber@mail.ru

Objective of the study was to experimentally substantiate the method of control of the physical and functional state of highly-qualified basketball players amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods and structure of the study. Subject to the experiment were 11 basketball players of the BC Rostov-Don-UFU. The female athletes’ functional state was tested from September 2020 through January 2021 using Polar H10 heart-rate monitor, Polar VantageV watch, and Polar Flow program. The data obtained were processed and analyzed by the coaches to find the right training-rest balance, organize a painless and effective recovery from COVID-19.

Results and conclusions. Daily monitoring of the subjects’ functional state using Polar H10 heart-rate monitor, Polar Vantage V watch, and Polar Flow program made it possible to constantly adjust the training loads based on the condition of the female basketball players, which affected the team’s performance. Despite the fact that during the COVD-19 pandemic, several of the regular players came down with the disease, the BC Rostov-Don-UFU continues to hold the leading position in the Russian Superleague-1 Championship and performs in the 2020-2021 season without losing.

The application of modern digital equipment, multifunctional complexes allowing remote access to telemedical health care service, snap analysis, and interpretation of the data obtained in the female athletes made it possible to optimize the training process, make timely adjustments to the training loads, get the basketball players rehabilitated and further improve their performance.

Keywords: COVD-19 pandemic, functional state, basketball, digital equipment in sports, rehabilitation after COVD-19.

Background. Among the measures to safeguard against the COVID-19 infection is the suspension of all sports events. This situation has raised the question of how to organize the athletic training process amidst the pandemic and arrange rehabilitation of athletes after COVID-19.

Physical activity modulates the immune system functions (Nieman D.C., Wentz L.M., 2019). According to some authors (Burtscher J., Millet G.P., Burtscher M., 2020), the beneficial effect of regular physical exercise on the immune function of the body is mediated by mitochondrial adaptation. Mitochondria are the power generators of the cell; they regulate the metabolic processes and are actively involved in the antiviral response of the body (Burtscher J., Cappellano G., Omori A. et al., 2020). One of the most important components of innate immune protection is the mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (Burtscher J., Millet G.P., Burtscher M., 2020).

Elite sports are associated with extreme physical loads and overloading, which, in turn, leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and weakening of the immune system. The study found that overtraining and high cardio load values may become an important risk factor amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective of the study was to experimentally substantiate the method of control of the physical and functional state of highly-qualified basketball players amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods and structure of the study. Subject to the experiment were 11 female basketball players of the BC Rostov-Don-UFU, including 3 Masters of Sport and 8 Candidate Masters of Sport (mean age – 22.9±2.8 years, average length of sports experience – 12±1.4 years). The female athletes’ functional state was tested from September 2020 through January 2021 using Polar H10 heart-rate monitor, Polar Vantage V watch, and Polar Flow program. 

During the 28-day test period, an individual normal range of heart rate variability (RMMS) was formed for the subjects. The orthostatic test rates were displayed in the Polar Flow program, which, based on the comparison of these test rates with the baseline ones, determined whether the subject’s cardiovascular system had recovered or not. The data obtained allowed the coaches to find the right training-rest balance, organize a painless and effective recovery from COVID-19.

Results and discussion. Since the start of the competitive matches, the female basketball players have been systematically tested for infection. Between October and December 2020, 7 athletes were diagnosed with COVD-19. Being tested positive for COVID-19, the subjects stopped training immediately and were quarantined. On the whole, the disease followed without any pronounced symptoms (low temperature, weakness, loss of smell). The players were allowed to train given that they had received two negative test results, had no symptoms of the disease and stable well-being. The first training sessions were draw-in and were conducted according to an individual training plan. When ready, the athletes began to get involved in the team training mode.

All the female basketball players, who had come through the coronavirus disease, were found to have high cardio load values. The software package detected overtraining on the 3rd-5th week on average, depending on the severity of the disease, while the rest of the team effectively performed the same load and their cardio load values were within the normal range (see Table 1)Table 1. Results of PCR-based diagnostics for Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and IgG/IgM antibody test (SARS-CoV-2)

The analysis of the subjects’ cardio load diagrams revealed that the coronavirus symptoms were present in those, who had been in the overtraining phase prior to the disease, which resulted in the weakening of the immune system against the background of mitochondrial dysfunction. Those female athletes, whose cardio load values were within the normal range, did not show any COVID-19 symptoms. However, the immunoserological study showed that all the team members had IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in their plasma.

Conclusions. Elite sports are associated with extreme physical loads that make the body function at its limits, which, in turn, leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and weakening of the immune system. Overtraining and high cardio load values may become an important risk factor amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daily monitoring of the subjects’ functional state using Polar H10 heart-rate monitor, Polar Vantage V watch, and Polar Flow program made it possible to constantly adjust the training loads based on the condition of the female basketball players, which affected the team’s performance. Despite the fact that during the COVD-19 pandemic, 7 regular players came down with the disease, the BC Rostov-Don-UFU continues to hold the leading position in the Russian Basketball Super League-1 Championship and performs in the 2020-2021 season without losing.

The application of modern digital equipment, multifunctional complexes allowing remote access to telemedical health care service, snap analysis, and interpretation of the data on the female athletes’ functional state made it possible to optimize the training process, make timely adjustments to the training loads, arrange rehabilitation of the female basketball players, and further improve their performance.

The study was carried out with funding from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research within the framework of the scientific project No. 19-313-90042 dated 23.08.2019

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