Structural and functional cardiac adaptations to 6months of football training in untrained hypertensive men

We investigated the effects of 3 and 6 months of regular football training on cardiac structure and function in hypertensive men. Thirty-one untrained males with mild-to-moderate hypertension were randomized 2:1 to a football training group (n=20) and a control group receiving traditional recommendations on healthy lifestyle (n=11). Cardiac measures were evaluated by echocardiography. The football group exhibited significant (P<0.05) changes in cardiac dimensions and function after just 3 months: Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume increased from 104 +/- 25 to 117 +/- 29mL. LV diastolic function improved measured as E/A ratio (1.15 +/- 0.32 to 1.54 +/- 0.38), early diastolic velocity, E (11.0 +/- 2.5 to 11.9 +/- 2.6cm/s), and isovolumetric relaxation time (74 +/- 13 to 62 +/- 13ms). LV systolic function improved measured as longitudinal displacement (10.7 +/- 2.1 to 12.1 +/- 2.3mm). Right ventricular function improved with respect to tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (21.8 +/- 3.2 to 24.5 +/- 3.7mm). Arterial blood pressure decreased in both groups, but significantly more in the football training group. No significant changes were observed in the control group. In conclusion, short-term football training improves LV diastolic function in untrained men with mild-to-moderate arterial hypertension. Furthermore, it may improve longitudinal systolic function of both ventricles. The results suggest that football training has favorable effects on cardiac function in hypertensive men.