Athletes with mild post-COVID-19 symptoms experience increased respiratory and metabolic demands: Α cross-sectional study.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly affected different physiological systems, with a potentially profound effect on athletic performance. However, to date, such an effect has been neither addressed nor investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate fitness indicators, along with the respiratory and metabolic profile, in post-COVID-19 athletes. Forty male soccer players, were divided into two groups: non-hospitalized COVID-19 (n = 20, Age: [25.2 ±â€¯4.1] years, Body Surface Area [BSA]: [1.9 ±â€¯0.2] m2, body fat: 11.8% ±â€¯3.4%) versus [vs] healthy (n = 20, Age: [25.1 ±â€¯4.4] years, BSA: [2.0 ±â€¯0.3] m2, body fat: 10.8% ±â€¯4.5%). For each athlete, prior to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), body composition, spirometry, and lactate blood levels, were recorded. Differences between groups were assessed with the independent samples t-test (p < 0.05). Several differences were detected between the two groups: ventilation (V˙E: Resting: [14.7 ±â€¯3.1] L·min-1 vs. [11.5 ±â€¯2.6] L·min-1, p = 0.001; Maximal Effort: [137.1 ±â€¯15.5] L·min-1 vs. [109.1 ±â€¯18.4] L·min-1, p < 0.001), ratio VE/maximal voluntary ventilation (Resting: 7.9% ±â€¯1.8% vs. 5.7% ±â€¯1.7%, p < 0.001; Maximal Effort: 73.7% ±â€¯10.8% vs. 63.1% ±â€¯9.0%, p = 0.002), ratioVE/BSA (Resting: 7.9% ±â€¯2.0% vs. 5.9% ±â€¯1.4%, p = 0.001; Maximal Effort: 73.7% ±â€¯11.1% vs. 66.2% ±â€¯9.2%, p = 0.026), heart rate (Maximal Effort: [191.6 ±â€¯7.8] bpm vs. [196.6 ±â€¯8.6] bpm, p = 0.041), and lactate acid (Resting: [1.8 ±â€¯0.8] mmol·L-1 vs. [0.9 ±â€¯0.1] mmol·L-1, p < 0.001; Maximal Effort: [11.0 ±â€¯1.6] mmol·L-1 vs. [9.8 ±â€¯1.2] mmol·L-1, p = 0.009), during CPET. No significant differences were identified regarding maximal oxygen uptake ([55.7 ±â€¯4.4] ml·min-1·kg-1 vs. [55.4 ±â€¯4.6] ml·min-1·kg-1, p = 0.831). Our findings demonstrate a pattern of compromised respiratory function in post-COVID-19 athletes characterized by increased respiratory work at both rest and maximum effort as well as hyperventilation during exercise, which may explain the reported increased metabolic needs.

Sleep Quality's Effect on Vigilance and Perceptual Ability in Adolescent and Adult Athletes.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of sleep quality in cognitive domains of perceptual ability after exhausting exercise in adolescent and adult athletes. Eighty-six male professional soccer players were included in our study and divided into two groups: adolescents (age: 17.3 ± 0.2 yrs, body mass: 68.9 ± 7.9 kg, body fat: 9.9 ± 3.6 %) versus adults (age: 26.3 ± 5.2 yrs, body mass: 76.5 ± 7.2 kg, body fat: 10.3 ± 3.1 %). For each athlete, prior to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), anthropometric and morphological characteristics were recorded and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire was answered. Immediately after CPET, all athletes underwent the perceptual ability test (PATest) for 30 sec and the sum of hits (rep/30 sec) and the time between a visual stimulus and the following stimulus (mean reaction time; RT, sec) were recorded. Oxygen uptake in maximal effort and in anaerobic threshold showed differences between hits (P=0.037) and RT (P=0.025). The variable of PSQI questionnaire "had bad dreams" showed correlation with hits (P=0.021) and RT (P=0.011) and the RT showed correlation with variables "cannot breathe comfortably" (P=0.041) and "...enthusiasm to get things done" (P=0.041). Adolescents showed poorer sleep quality (PSQI score: 5.7 ± 3.6 vs. 2.4 ± 2.6) compared to adults and slower reaction time (0.9 ± 0.1 vs. 0.8 ± 0.1 sec, P=0.029) compared to adolescent athletes with PSQI score ≥5.5. The variable of PSQI score in adolescents is related to HR in maximal effort (r = -0.364, P=0.032) and in adults is related to speed (r = -0.335, P=0.016). Perceptual ability, which requires sustained attention, vigilance, and motor coordination, is often negatively affected by restricted sleep, especially in adolescents.

The Effect of Whole-Body Cryostimulation in Healthy Adults : Whole-Body Cryostimulation According to Gender and Smoking Status.

INTRODUCTION: Whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) refers to the therapeutic application of extremely cold dry air for a short period of time. The method has beneficial results in various diseases as well as the recovery of athletes. The effects of WBC in healthy individuals have not been extensively investigated. PURPOSE: We aim to explore differences in the effects of WBC on blood pressure (BP), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and heart rate (HR) in healthy adults (not athletes) as well as differences according to gender and smoking status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty adults (male/female: 32/18) smokers/nonsmokers: 26/24) were included in the study. WBC was performed in a cryochamber at -85 °C for 3 min. Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), HR, and SpO2 were measured before and immediately after WBC. RESULTS: Males and females differed significantly in SBP after WBC (138.1 ± 13.0 vs 128.5 ± 17.0 mmHg, respectively, p = 0.029), SpO2 after WBC (96.6 ± 1.8 vs 98.3 ± 1.5%, respectively, p = 0.001) and HR after WBC (60.1 ± 9.6 vs 70.2 ± 7.7 bpm, respectively, p < 0.001). In males, SpO2 remained unchanged before and after WBC, whereas in women SpO2 increased by 1.0 ± 1.4% (p = 0.038) (Table 2). HR after WBC displayed a downward trend by -9.8 ± 5.9% in males compared to an upward trend by 3.6 ± 15.1 in females (p < 0.001). Nonsmokers displayed higher increase in SBP after WBC (4.3 ± 9.0% in smokers compared to 13.3 ± 13.2% in nonsmokers, p = 0.007). Smokers presented an increase by 1.0 ± 1.6% in SpO2, while in nonsmokers, SpO2 decreased by 0.8 ± 2.1% following WBC (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that WBC affects the cardiovascular and the respiratory system differently in males versus females and smokers versus nonsmokers. More studies are needed in order to fully explore the effects of WBC in these population groups in order to design individualized treatment protocols.

The Reciprocal Association between Fitness Indicators and Sleep Quality in the Context of Recent Sport Injury.

The purpose of the study is to investigate whether the oxygen uptake and heart rate at rest, in Greek professional soccer players, are affected by recent injuries, as well as how sleep quality is affected. Forty-two male professional soccer players were included in the study and divided into two groups: injurygroup (n = 22, age: 21.6 ± 5.4 years, body fat: 11.0 ± 3.9%, total body water: 64.0 ± 2.5%) and no-injurygroup (n = 20, age: 24.2 ± 5.6 years, body fat: 10.1 ± 2.8%, total body water: 64.3 ± 1.8%). The oxygen uptake at rest (VO2resting, mL/min/kg) and heart rate (HR, bpm) were recorded in the upright position for 3 min, and the predicted values were calculated. One hour before, the athletes answered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. The results showed a difference between groups (injurygroup vs. no-injurygroup) in VO2resting (7.5 ± 1.4 vs. 5.5 ± 1.2 mL/min/kg, p < 0.001) and percent of predicted values (92.5 ± 17.2 vs. 68.3 ± 14.6%, p < 0.001) and HR, such as beats per min (100.6 ± 12.8 vs. 93.1 ± 4.6 bpm, p = 0.001), percent of predicted values (50.7 ± 6.4 vs. 47.6 ± 2.8%, p = 0.003) and sleep quality score (PSQI: 4.9 ± 2.2 vs. 3.1 ± 0.9, p = 0.005). Anthropometric characteristics were not different between groups. Oxygen consumption and heart rate at rest are affected by the systemic adaptations due to injury. These pathophysiological changes probably relate to increased blood flow in an attempt to restore the injury area.