The association of elevated blood pressure during ischaemic exercise with sport performance in Master athletes with and without morbidity

Abstract

Background An exaggerated exercise blood pressure (BP) is associated with a reduced exercise capacity. However, its connection to physical performance during competition is unknown. Aim To examine BP responses to ischaemic handgrip exercise in Master athletes (MA) with and without underlying morbidities and to assess their association with athletic performance during the World Master Track Cycling Championships 2019. Methods Forty-eight Master cyclists [age 59 ± 13yrs; weekly training volume 10.4 ± 4.1 h/week; handgrip maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) 46.3 ± 11.5 kg] divided into 2 matched groups (24 healthy MA and 24 MA with morbidity) and 10 healthy middle-aged non-athlete controls (age 48.3 ± 8.3 years; MVC 40.4 ± 14.8 kg) performed 5 min of forearm occlusion including 1 min handgrip isometric contraction (40%MVC) followed by 5 min recovery. Continuous beat-by-beat BP was recorded using finger plethysmography. Age-graded performance (AGP) was calculated to compare race performances among MA. Healthy Master cyclists were further grouped into middle-age (age 46.2 ± 6.4 years; N:12) and old-age (age 65.0 ± 7.7 years; N:12) for comparison with middle-aged non-athlete controls. Results Healthy and morbidity MA groups showed similar BP responses during forearm occlusion and AGP (90.1 ± 4.3% and 91.0 ± 5.3%, p > 0.05, respectively). Healthy and morbidity MA showed modest correlation between the BP rising slope for 40%MVC ischaemic exercise and AGP (r = 0.5, p < 0.05). MA showed accelerated SBP recovery after cessation of ischaemic handgrip exercise compared to healthy non-athlete controls. Conclusion Our findings associate long-term athletic training with improved BP recovery following ischaemic exercise regardless of age or reported morbidity. Exaggerated BP in Master cyclists during ischaemic exercise was associated with lower AGP during the World Master Cycling Championships.

Study of Morpho-Functional Characteristics of the Cardiovascular System According to Electrocardiography, Phonocardiography, Echocardiography in Masters Athletics

“…This is explained by the increased tone of the parasympathetic nervous system and increased sensitivity of baroreceptors. 24 However, prolonged strenuous exercise can potentially lead to cardiovascular dysfunction and hidden hypertension with altered cardiac function, which is an increased risk among veteran athletes. 25 , 26 In addition, veterans who develop predominantly endurance quality (cyclists, runners and swimmers, triathletes) show greater pliability and less vascular wall stiffness, increased endothelial function, improved blood flow, adequate BP regulation at rest and during exercise compared to healthy people of the same age who led a sedentary lifestyle.…”

What We Do Not Know About Stretching in Healthy Athletes: A Scoping Review with Evidence Gap Map from 300 Trials

“…Therefore, it can be concluded that research on stretching is mostly focused on adolescents and young adults in their most physically active years and when organized sports participation and engagement in physical activity in general are most common [381,382]. Notwithstanding, there has been increased participation in sports by older adults, with rising awareness of the specificity of the master athlete in the sports science literature [383][384][385][386][387][388]. Our scoping review showed that research on stretching in master athletes is largely lacking, and so how these older athletes respond to stretching interventions is currently unclear.…”