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Structural and functional characteristics of the heart of professional soccer players after retirement from long-term sports activity

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Abstract

The structural and functional characteristics of the heart of 51 retired soccer players who ceased training 3–15 years ago are presented. A number of structural and functional signs of “athlete’s heart” detected in the subjects indicate more efficient heart functioning at rest and during exercise. The myocardium requires less oxygen per unit power of muscle work, and each gram of the myocardium of retired athletes performs more mechanical work than the myocardium of untrained subjects of the same age. This indicates long-term adaptation of the heart of retired athletes to muscle work. The heart functioning at rest and during exercise in retired athletes becomes less efficient with age, this trend being more pronounced in older former athletes than in younger ones. This is expressed in an increased oxygen consumption by the myocardium, a higher occurrence of atypical electrocardiogram patterns, age-related changes in myocardial contractility, and a decreased capacity of each gram of the myocardium for generating mechanical work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Russian State University of Physical Education, Sports, and Tourism, Moscow, Russia

    Z. B. Belotserkovskii, A. V. Smolenskii, V. V. Sagitova & O. V. Kozyreva

  2. Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, 125315, Russia

    B. G. Lyubina & E. V. Bogdanova

Authors
  1. Z. B. Belotserkovskii
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  2. B. G. Lyubina
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  3. A. V. Smolenskii
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  4. V. V. Sagitova
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  5. O. V. Kozyreva
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  6. E. V. Bogdanova
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Additional information

Original Russian Text © Z.B. Belotserkovskii, B.G. Lyubina, A.V. Smolenskii, V.V. Sagitova, O.V. Kozyreva, E.V. Bogdanova, 2007, published in Fiziologiya Cheloveka, 2007, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 119–125.

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Belotserkovskii, Z.B., Lyubina, B.G., Smolenskii, A.V. et al. Structural and functional characteristics of the heart of professional soccer players after retirement from long-term sports activity. Hum Physiol 33, 490–495 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0362119707040172

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0362119707040172

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