Abstract

Aim. In order to investigate the effect of strength training on cardiac dimensions, two groups, wrestlers and control group were analysed noninvasively by transthoracic echocardiography. The results are compared with other published data to study the characteristics of Athlete’s heart in Indian wrestlers.
Material and Method. The participants included 60 subjects aged between 18-24 years. Main outcome measures were left ventricular concentric hypertrophy and enlargement in wrestlers. Left ventricular end diastolic dimension {(LVED) (5.15±0.40 vs 4.2±0.55cm p <0.001)}, inter-ventricular septal thickness {(IVS) (1.23±0.15 vs 0.93±0.11cm p <0.001)}, posterior wall thickness {(PWT) (1.07±0.21 vs 0.87±0.12cm, p <0.001) were found to be significantly higher in wrestlers. Heart rate (74.53±0.55bpm) was found to be significantly higher in control group depicting sinus bradycardia in wrestlers.
Results and conclusion. Chronic physical strength training result in changes in cardiac dimensions such as myocardial wall thickening and thus leads to athlete’s heart characterised by concentric left ventricular hypertrophy and enlargement in wrestlers.