Effect of year-round training on parameters of heart rate variability, central hemodynamics and physical working capacity in short-distance swimmers
Authors: Mykhaliuk Ye. L. , Syvolap V. V. , Horokhovskyi Ye. Yu. , Potapenko M. S. 
Published: September 2021

Dynamic examination of athletes is of great interest for sports medicine specialists, as it allows measuring changes in athletes’ functional state in parallel with increasing athletic performance in a one-year training cycle.
The aim of the work is to assess dynamic changes in parameters of heart rate variability, central hemodynamics and physical performance in short-distance swimmers during preparatory and competitive periods of the training process.
Materials and methods. The swimmers (n = 94) qualified from the second-class sport qualification to Master of Sports of International Class were examined during the preparatory and competitive periods of the training process. Short ECG recordings of 5 minutes were used for the heart rate variability (HRV) analysis according to the International Standard.
Results. In the preparatory period, the autonomic equilibrium index had a mean value of 3.104 ± 0.494 1/s2, and in the competitive period – 2.459 ± 0.248 1/s2 (P = 0.295). The initial distribution of athletes depending on the value of autonomic tone, according to the classification proposed by R. M. Bayevskiy, had the following ratio in the preparatory period: 75.0 % / 20.0 % / 5.0 %, vagotonic, normotonic and sympathotonic individuals, respectively, statistically significantly indicating the prevalence of athletes with vagotonia over normotonic individuals (P = 0.0005). In the competitive period, this ratio was 60.0 % / 40.0 % / 0 %.
The central hemodynamic indices showed a downward trend as evidenced by a decrease in the cardiac index from 2.954 ± 0.126·l·min-1·m-2 to 2.862 ± 0.088 l‧min-1‧m-2 (Р = 0.510), although these values matched to the eukinetic circulatory type (CT) during both training periods. However, the ratio of hypokinetic, eukinetic and hyperkinetic CT in the preparatory period was 45.0 % / 45.0 % / 10 0 %, and in competitive period – 45.0 % / 55.0 % / 0 %, respectively. The mean value of physical working capacity (PWC170/kg) in the preparatory period was 15.54 ± 0.66 kgm·min-1·kg-1, and in the competitive period it was 18.09 ± 0.53 kgm·min-1·kg-1, making an increase of 16.41 % (Р = 0.0001).
The functional state index (FSI) increased significantly by 25.08 % from 5.558 ± 0.322 r. u. to 6.952 ± 0.272 r. u. (Р = 0.00001). The correlation analysis during the preparatory period showed a significant positive correlation between Mo and PWC170/kg (r = 0.46, P = 0.040), ARI and CI (r = 0.50, P = 0.026), IARP and CI (r = 0.53, P = 0.017), stress-index and SI (r = 0.52, P = 0.019) and negative – between Mo and CI (r = -0.56, P = 0.009). In the competitive period, the general tendency of correlation interaction was remained, as evidenced by revealed positive relationships between Mo and FSI (r = 0.53, P = 0.017), ARI and SI (r = 0.51, P = 0.020).
Conclusions. Short-distance swimmers in the competitive period had significantly higher level of physical working capacity (by 16.4 %), the functional state index (by 25.1 %), as well as parasympathetic tone of ANS in comparison with the preparatory period. The above-mentioned hemodynamic changes and autonomic balance indicators were associated with the increase in athletic performance: 4 (20 %) swimmers qualified for the title of Master of Sports of Ukraine, 2 (10 %) swimmers – for Candidate Master of Sports, and 2 (10 %) swimmers – for first-class sport qualification.