Echocardiographic examination of women collegiate softball champions.

The cardiac profile of nine AIAW softball champions (SC) was compared with the cardiac profile of 10 sedentary women who were matched according to age and body size (SW). Standard M-mode echocardiography and a maximum graded stress test were performed on each subject. The mean (+/- SE) resting heart rate (50.6 +/- 2.6 bpm) and VO2max (55.3 +/- 2.0 ml O2 x kg-1 x min-1) of the SC were significantly different (P less than 0.001) than the heart rate (71.2 +/- 3.1 bpm) and VO2max (40.3 +/- 1.4 ml x kg-1 x min-1) of the SW. Significantly greater (P less than 0.05) interventricular septal thickness (IST), and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVIDd) and volume (LVIDd3) were noted in the SC. The means (+/- SE) for IST, LVIDd, and LVIDd3 for the athletes were 8.9 +/- 0.4 mm, 4.8 +/- 0.1 cm, and 110 +/- 5.9 cm3, respectively; and for the SW were 7.5 +/- 0.5 mm. 4.4 +/- 0.2 cm, and 87.8 +/- 8.0 cm3, respectively. Although there was no difference in the left ventricular cavity/muscle volume ratio, the athletes had an increased (P less than 0.02) left ventricular mass (168 +/- 15 g) when compared with SW (123 +/- 9 g). Therefore, the cardiac adaptations noted during rest in moderate-endurance trained AIAW softball champions included a relative bradycardia and eccentric hypertrophy.

Effects of physical conditioning on the heart size and wall thickness of college women.

M-mode echocardiograms were obtained from 40 sedentary college women, 8 sprinters, 6 distance runners, 10 swimmers, 9 basketball players, 8 dancers, and 10 sedentary men (ages 19 to 31 yr). Treadmill stress tests were performed by all groups except the basketball players. The aerobic capacities of the athletes were 30 to 48% greater (P less than 0.05) than the sedentary subjects. The athletes exhibited trends toward higher than average left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimensions (7 to 25%), LV end-diastolic volumes (12 to 53%), stroke volume (13 to 52%), LV mass (11 to 42%), and left atrial dimensions (6 to 31%) when data were standardized for body surface area. A correlation (r = 0.323, P less than 0.05) was noted between LV mass index and maximal oxygen uptake when data were pooled. Ten sedentary women and ten age-matched sedentary men were endurance-conditioned by 10 wk of running. Both sexes increased maximal oxygen uptake approximately 20% (P less than 0.05) and exhibited similar changes in LV wall thickness, end-diastolic dimension, end-diastolic volume, and mass. These changes regressed within 10 wk after the termination of conditioning. This study suggests that women athletes exhibit cardiac morphologic features which resemble that reported for their male counterparts and that the cardiac response of sedentary men and women to modest levels of endurance conditioning is similar.

Comparative physiological profiles among young and middle-aged female distance runners.

Physiological profiles of 42 middle-aged female marathoners (MAM) (means age = 38.2 yr) were compared with those of 9 young female marathoners (YM) (means age = 25.2 yr), 10 middle-aged female 10-km runners (MATK) (means age = 33.1 yr), and 37 middle-aged sedentary women (MAS) (means age = 38.8 yr). The groups were equivalent for height, maximum heart rate, and hematocrit, and, after adjusting for body size, hemoglobin concentration, lipids, and lipoproteins. Compared to the runners, MAS subjects had significantly higher resting heart rates and significantly lower treadmill performance times, maximum exercise minute ventilation, and VO2max. Compared to YM subjects, MATK runners had higher resting heart rates and lower treadmill performance times, and compared to both groups of marathoners, MATK runners had lower VO2max, but only when expressed relative to body weight. The YM and MAM subjects did not differ from each other except for resting heart rate values, which were higher in the MAM. These data suggest that runners have more favorable cardiorespiratory profiles than do sedentary women, but that lipid and lipoprotein values may be affected more by body size than by activity level.

Perceived exertion of professional hockey players.

18 professional hockey players were tested on the treadmill with a modified Balke procedure and also for maximum isokinetic strength with the Cybex II instrument. Immediately after each test the subject completed the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion. The treadmill effort was perceived as being "somewhat hard work" while the maximum strength effort was considered "very light." This conflicts with previous literature. It may be that professional hockey players adapt to physical stress and do not respond perceptually to such stimuli in a typical manner.

Accuracy of anthropometric equations for estimating body composition of mentally retarded adults.

Body composition of 57 mentally retarded adults (25 women, 32 men) was assessed. Skinfold and girth measurements were collected to determine how accurately existing regression equations could predict percentage body fat for a retarded population when compared to hydrostatic weighing (criterion measure) at total lung capacity. No significant differences were found between five of the six regression equations evaluated for men and four of the six regression equations evaluated for women; however, three equations had the greatest predictability and were recommended for use in estimating the percentage body fat of retarded adults.