Key result
High-level water polo training was associated with marked cardiac hypertrophy, predominantly increased wall thickness, and a VO2max lower than endurance athletes but higher than sedentary controls.
Why the study?
Does top-level water polo training induce major cardiac adaptations compared to other sports and sedentary controls?
Cross-Sectional (n=65)
Does top-level water polo training induce major cardiac adaptations compared to other sports and sedentary controls?
High-level water polo training results in marked cardiac hypertrophy, predominantly increasing wall thickness, with aerobic power lower than endurance athletes but higher than sedentary controls.
May inform pre-participation screening for hypertrophy in water polo athletes; leaves open long-term clinical implications pending prospective data.
PURPOSE: Water polo is a sport involving extremely intense exercise training that might be expected to result in major cardiac adaptations. The purpose of our study was to evaluate cardiac size, determine VO(2max) of top-level water polo players, and compare the findings with those of other top-level athletes. METHODS: Treadmill VO(2max) and 2D guided M-mode and Doppler echocardiographic data were obtained on players (N = 15) of the Olympic champion (Sydney 2000) Hungarian team and compared with data of Hungarian sedentary subjects (N = 19), and top-level endurance (N = 16) and power athletes (N = 15). RESULTS: Aerobic power of the water polo players was significantly lower (57.8 +/- 12.3 mL.min(-1).kg(-1)) than that of endurance athletes (70.9 +/- 8.9), higher than sedentary controls (49.7 +/- 4.3), and not different from that of power athletes (50.5 +/- 6.0). Body size related mean left ventricular wall thickness (LVWT/BSA(0.5)) was the highest in the water polo players (16.8 +/- 1.5 vs 15.9 +/- 1.1 in endurance, 14.5 +/- 1.0 in the power athletes, and 12.8 +/- 0.6 mm.m in nonathletes). Left ventricular muscle mass (LVMM/BSA(1.5)) was higher in the water polo players (115 +/- 22 g.m) than in power athletes (86 +/- 12) or nonathletes (74 +/- 9) and similar to that of endurance athletes (112 +/- 15). Resting heart rate was lower in the water polo players (55.1 +/- 9.7 beats.m(-1)) and endurance athletes (59.3 +/- 10.6) than in power athletes (66.0 +/- 16.1) or in sedentary subjects (72.9 +/- 10.9). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that high-level water polo results in marked cardiac hypertrophy that involves predominantly an increase of wall thickness, and in a VO(2max) lower than that of endurance athletes but similar to those of basketball and soccer players.
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Pavlik et al. (2005) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy athletes and sedentary controls (n=65). High-level water polo training vs. Endurance athletes, power athletes, and sedentary controls was evaluated on Aerobic power (VO2max) and cardiac size. High-level water polo training was associated with marked cardiac hypertrophy, predominantly increased wall thickness, and a VO2max lower than endurance athletes but higher than sedentary controls.
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