Comparative features of the morphometric correlates of blood pressure response to physical load of qualified athletes in some sports

Abstract

Purpose: the purpose of this study was to establish morphometric parameters that correlate with the reactivity and recovery of blood pressure in response to a standard physical load in athletes of various game sports. Material & Methods: to achieve the set goal, 101 qualified male athletes engaged in game sports were examined. All examined represented 3 game sports: 13 – water polo (average age 27.3±6.3 years), 59 – volleyball (average age 21.1±2.5 years), 29 – handball (average age 20.9±2.8 years). The morphometric study was carried out by traditional methods and included the determination of body length (BL, cm), body weight (BW, kg), chest circumference (CC, cm) with calculation of chest excursion (CE, cm), hand dynamometry, vital lung capacity (VLC, ml). Body mass index (BMI, kg×m–2), vital index (VI, ml×kg–1) and Erismann index (IE, c.u.) were calculated separately. The Martine test (20 squats in 30 seconds) was performed according to the traditional method. Results: changes in SBP in response to load were the significantly greater in handball players compared to water polo players (p=0.025) and compared to volleyball players (p=0.022). Changes in SBP during 3 minutes of recovery are not related to morphometric parameters and obey the general mechanisms of changes in hemodynamic support under the influence of physical load. Changes in DBP during 3 minutes of recovery are related to chest circumference (CC, cm) and proportionality of its development (IE, c.u.) in volleyball and water polo players, and with BW (kg) in handball players. Changes in PBP during 3 minutes of recovery in handball players are not differentiated, in volleyball players they are related to the proportionality of chest development (IE, c.u.), and in water polo players to the BW (kg), CC (cm), mobility and proportionality of chest development (CE, cm and IE, c.u.). Conclusions: the obtained results confirm that changes in DBP and PBP in response to physical load and during the recovery period after it are related to the morphometric parameters of the body, which can characterize the mechanisms of hemodynamic maintenance recovery and be useful in the selection and the organization of recovery measures in certain sports sport.