Abstract
Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is widely used in professional soccer players as a tool to assess individual response to training load. Different devices and methods are available for HRV assessment. The relationship between HRV and competitive soccer matches performance is not documented. Methods: We monitored HRV in professional soccer players throughout a game season. Measurements were performed with a portable lightweight device in weekly 5 min sessions from which we obtained the value of the square root of the mean squared differences of successive beat-to-beat intervals (rMSSD). Game parameters of run and velocity were collected. Results: Twenty-seven players were monitored with a total of 121 observations. The rMSSD significantly related with the total distance covered (p = 0.036) and with the distance covered running at >15 km/h (p = 0.039) during soccer games. Conclusions: HRV was associated with competition performance in professional soccer players.
Highlights
Heart rate and its variations are directly controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS)
Cardiology and diabetology rely on different kinds of tests but heart rate variability (HRV) is widely used in sport physiology
The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between HRV assessed with the Bittium FarosTM device and match performance in a cohort of professional soccer players
Summary
Heart rate and its variations are directly controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Sympathetic and parasympathetic activity regulates baseline heart rate and the differences between subsequent beats. Differences in beat-to-beat intervals may be detected and quantified with the measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) [1]. HRV reflects cardiac autonomic regulation and provides accurate evaluation of functioning and balance of the ANS. HRV was a predictor of mortality and arrhythmic complications [2,3]. In the 1990s, HRV was used as an assessment of diabetic neuropathy, as early subclinical autonomic dysfunction could be detected by HRV measurement [4,5]. Cardiology and diabetology rely on different kinds of tests but HRV is widely used in sport physiology
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