The Impact of Indoor Cycling Training on Hemodynamic Parameters of the Left Ventricle of Men With Ischaemic Heart Disease or After Myocardial Infarction

Aim. Younger age of the cardiac patients somehow necessitates the use of modern forms of physical training, which become alternative and interesting means to provide effective rehabilitation. One such form is endurance Indoor Cycling training. In the present study attempts to determine the impact of 1-month Indoor Cycling training on hemodynamic left ventricle parameters of men with ischemic heart disease or after myocardial infarction were made. Material and methods. The study group consisted of 50 men under the model A of the 2 nd phase of cardiac rehabilitation (20 men of the Indoor Cycling group, IC, 20 men rehabilitated accordingly to the recommendations of the Polish Cardiac Society — a standard group, ST and 10 people who did not participate in any cardiac rehabilitation program — a control group, C). The average age of all patients was 56,60±8,25 years, the average left ventricular ejection fraction was 56%±4,00. Results. Echocardiogram did not show significant changes after 1-month of training in both groups undergoing comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation. Paralleled to the preliminary study in the group of patients who refused to participate in the cardiac rehabilitation, results showed a reduction in all echocardiographic parameters, including a significant decrease in the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (52,80 vs 50,50 mm) and volume (134,85 vs 121,88 ml; both variables at p<0,001), as well as in the left ventricular mass (239,46 vs 208,61 g; p=0,002) and the left ventricular mass index (123,52 vs 107,61 g/m 2 ; p=0,001). Conclusion. No negative influence of the Indoor Cycling training on morphological parameters of the left ventricle was observed. Indoor Cycling training in the second phase of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with ischemic heart disease or after myocardial infarction is a safe form of therapy and therefore may be an interesting alternative method to the classic bicycle ergometer exercise in the stage of an early cardiac rehabilitation.