Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in a Life-Long Endurance Athlete: A Descriptive Case Study

The diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) in lifelong endurance athletes occurs at a greater incidence over a lifetime vs the undertrained, general population. In fact, the more intense an aerobic-oriented person trains or races and over a greater amount of time, the higher the diagnosis of general cardiac arrhythmias. PURPOSE: Therefore, the primary aim was to observe the cumulative effects of life-long endurance training (since the age of 10-yrs old) and the yearly occurrences of paroxysmal AF (PAF) in an otherwise healthy, 53-yr-old male. METHODS: The complete health history of a 53-yr-old male (ht: 1.83 m, wt: 72.7 kg, VO2max: 56 ml/kg/min, HRmax: 185 bpm, no alcohol consumption the past 2 yrs, 7-day resting heart rate average/HRavg = 50 bpm) with diagnosed PAF (on January 21, 2016) was gathered and summarized over a 5.7 yr time span (2018-2023). Garmin Connect data were amassed and analyzed for physiological training metrics, including: number of activities/yr, total distance/yr (mi), max distance each yr (mi), total activity time per yr (hrs), average time per workout (hrs), total caloric expenditure (estimated kcals), total ascent per year (ft), average ascent per workout (ft), HRavg per workout (bpm), and HRmax attained/yr (bpm). A simple Pearson correction coefficient was performed between PAF episodes and each physiological metric. RESULTS: Training metrics over 5.7 yrs included: 13 PAF episodes; 3,127 recorded activities (e.g., running, mountain biking, weight lifting); a total of 18,789 human powered mi accumulated; a maximum distance of 90 mi in one session; 3,016.6 hrs of total exercise time; 58 min per training session; 1,541,541 calories expended; 1,681,573 ft of ascent; an average of 590 ft of ascent/activity; HRavg of 129 bpm per workout; and a HRmax of 188 bpm. No correlation (\u3c .30) was found between number of PAF episodes over 5.7 yrs and any physiological measure. CONCLUSION: PAF in this athlete does not seem to be influenced by any of the physiological variables reported. No medication use was reported. After consulting with his medical provider, an electrophysiologist at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN; October 2018), this older athlete was cleared to continue his usual exercise routine until the PAF became (subjectively) a hindrance to his lifestyle. Then cardiac ablation would become a recommendation

The Physiological Profile of a Blind Female Solo Ultra-Endurance Cyclist – a Novel Case Study

Ultra-endurance mountain biking (MTB) greater than 2,450 miles in 51 days with over 150,000 feet of elevation gain is a significant physiological and fear-inducing journey for anyone. This case study showcases the psychophysiology of a blind solo (i.e., single bike) rider (BSR) with history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) who achieved an unparalleled ride of the Tour Divide MTB route with 2 male guides (MG). PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this project was to observe the interplay between fatigue (acute training load, ATL), fitness (chronic training load, CTL), and form (training stress balance, TSB) as part of a performance management chart (PMC) and Training Stimulus Score™ (TSS™). METHODS: This case study was a retrospective, descriptive assessment of rider Training Peaks™ (Boulder, CO) TSS™ data, which portrays daily fluctuations between ATL (7 d avg), CTL (42 d avg), and TSB (yesterday’s CTL – yesterday’s ATL). The 3 riders continually wore a heart rate monitor and wearable wrist GPS technology (Garmin, Olathe, KS) to track metrics throughout the 51 d ride. RESULTS: BSR and MG (mean of 2 male guides) age, wt, ht, and BMI, respectively, were: 47 vs 47.5 y, 65.9 vs 77.3 kg, 1.6 vs 1.8 m, and 26.5 vs. 23.7 kg/m2. Average rider MTB metrics per day for distance, minutes, speed, and elevation gain were, respectively: 87.7±22.2 km, 7.5±2.3 hrs, 5.5±1.4 km/hr, and 957±205 m. Average daily riding heart rate, average riding peak HR, and TSS for BSR vs MG were, respectively: 138.8±5.9 vs 103.9±6.9 bpm, 161.6±27.9 vs 143.3±11.4 bpm, and 251.9±82.3 vs 302.0±95.7 TSS. BSR and MS RPE (6-20 scale) per day averages were 11-12 for overall body fatigue (i.e., all riders) and BSR was 19 for perceived “fear” vs MG remaining at 11-12 for “fear”. 51 d averages for ATL, CTL, and TSB for BSR vs MG were, respectively: 206.1±50.0 vs 216.4±48.1, 118.1±39.0 vs 117.5±32.1, and -76.6±35.0 vs -88.4±44.6. CONCLUSION: Despite greater, daily perceived “fear”, BSR (vs MG) maintained augmented PMC metrics, indicating less daily ATL, higher CTL, and better TSB. This may, in part, support BSR’s high physical ability to complete the ride despite self-reporting a greater degree of perceived “fear” each day. Ultimately, BSR’s achievements may help inform the blind and visually impaired population about accruing greater physical fitness to help offset perceptions of fear

TRANSITIONING FROM ROAD RUNNING TO TRAIL RUNNING

The purpose of this experiment was to discover possible biomechanical differences in running gait, foot-strike patterns, and ground reaction forces between running over uneven terrain (i.e., a trail) and smooth terrain (i.e., road). Participants ran repeatedly over an artificial, rough trail and a smooth, smooth section. Video analysis was used to determine any differences in gait and foot-strike patterns. A force platform was used to determine ground reaction forces. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in gait or ground reaction forces, while a Chi-Squared analysis revealed significantly more forefoot strikes while running over uneven, rough terrain

CHANGES IN RUNNING GAIT PARAMETERS DURING A 161 KM TRAIL RACE

The current study examined changes in running speed and technique during a 161 km trail race and their relationship to performance. Sixteen participants were video recorded during continuous running for each of the five 32 km loops of the race. Participant’s stride length (SL), stride rate (SR), and speed were calculated. Lap and finish times were also collated from the race results. All variables changed significantly during the race (i.e. Speed?, Lap time?, SL? and SR?). Increased consistency in stride rate and length across the five laps, as well as speed, correlated positively with performance. Increased stride length in laps one, two and four correlated positively with performance. Results indicated that fatigue during the race decreased both speed and SL. Better performers ran faster with a longer SL and were able to maintain their initial speed for longer

The Performance Profile of a Division I Football Team

Reporting athletic performance characteristics of a Division I collegiate football team may serve to inform coaching personnel and sports performance staff about the most versatile players to utilize for various competitions. Performance data may also help guide developing athletes about benchmarks to achieve for optimal competitiveness. PURPOSE: Our aim was to observe athletic performance characteristics of and differences between designated starters (ST) vs non-starters (NST). METHODS: 44 athletes – ST (n=22) vs NST (n=22) – were selected using a convenience sample and equally distributed between offense and defense positions. Preseason performance data were analyzed related to select power, including counter movement jump (CMJ), vertical jump (VJ), and Nordic hamstring (NH) tests; and select strength assessments, including 1 repetition max (RM) on power clean (PC), front squat (FS), and bench press (BP). All tests were conducted by sport performance staff using free weights and VALD Performance (Queensland, Australia) equipment (i.e., NordBord, ForceDecks) and software. Data were analyzed via a two sampled equal variance, right-tailed t-test with a significance level set at p \u3c 0.05 and reported as mean±SD. RESULTS: The average age, height, and weight for ST vs. NST, respectively, were 21.2±1.4 & 20.4±1.0 y, 1.8±.4 & 1.9±.1 m, and 104.3±32.1 & 100.4±20.0 kg. Power related to CMJ peak, VJ, NH max of right + left leg averaged, and NH impulse between ST vs. NST were, respectively: 62±9.3 vs. 67.5±12.4 W/kg (p=0.053), .7±.1 vs. .7±.1 m (p=0.444), 553.1±61.3 vs. 478.0±142.1 N (p=0.017), and 7982.1±2235.6 vs 6833.8±1952.4 NS (p=0.040). PC, FS, and BP for ST vs NST were, respectively: 133.4±13.8 vs. 122.4±10.9 kg (p=0.004), 164.5±23.5 vs. 146.7±38.2 kg (p=0.049), and 140.8±20.7 vs. 132.9±15.9 kg (p=0.095). CONCLUSION: Specific to the group observed, there appears to be select power and strength performance characteristics that separate ST and NST. ST might be advised to maintain and NST should strive to achieve explosiveness and strength as described herein via augmented bilateral NH force and impulse in addition to developing a high 1 RM PC. Despite the ambiguity of athletic performance tests to identify talent and skill, coaches and players still might be able to utilize these standards for individualized success

THE EFFECT OF SHOE TYPE ON VARIOUS KINETIC AND KINEMATIC VARIABLES DURING STEP-UP AND STEP-DOWN MOTIONS

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of shoe type on the biomechanical responses to a stepping task. Participants (n = 8) performed six two minute stepping trials at a stepping rate of 72 bpm; 3 trials in hiking boots and 3 trials in hiking shoes. Lower limb joint angles and moments were calculated using Visual 3D. No significant differences were found in step down peak ground reaction forces (GRF), ankle, knee, and hip range of motion (ROM), joint moments, joint flexion at step down contact, or toe clearance height between footwear conditions. Due to the lack of differences found between footwear conditions, the use of either a hiking shoe or boot may not result in an increased risk of injury, therefore leaving the choice of footwear to the hiker’s personal preference

Geometric Entropy for Lead vs Top-Rope Rock Climbing

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(2): 168-174, 2016. The complexity of movement of a rock climber’s center of mass during an ascent has been described as geometric entropy (GE). It has been proposed that lower geometric entropy could represent more fluid and economical movement during climbing. The purpose of the present study was to measure GE during rock climbing ascents under a lead condition (LD), where the climber connects a safety rope to several intermediate anchors during the ascent and under a top-rope condition (TR), where the safety rope is always anchored above the climber. Six experienced rock climbers volunteered to participate in the study. Each participant ascended a route on natural rock outdoors under three conditions. The first ascent was performed in a top-rope condition as an accommodation trial. The two remaining ascents were performed as LD and top-rope (TR2) in random order. Each LD and TR2 ascent was recorded via digital video at 30 Hz. A single point at the back center of each climber’s waist harness was manually digitized from the video images at 6 Hz and interpreted as the climber’s center of mass (CM). The displacement of CM was expressed as the line of motion (LM). Geometric Entropy (GE) was calculated as GE = ln((2∙LM)/CH)), where CH was the value of the convex hull about the LM. A within subjects, repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc testing was utilized to test for differences among ascent conditions with significance set at P \u3c0.05. Mean (±s.d) values for LM and GE were 81.5±11.3 m vs 77.6±7.3 m and 1.021±0.133 vs 0.924±0.062 for LD and TR2 respectively. There were no significant differences for LM and GE between ascent conditions. It was concluded that LM and GE do not vary between LD and TR ascent conditions

In-class cycling to augment college student academic performance and reduce physical inactivity: Results from an RCT

Most college students sit 14 hours per week on average, excluding sedentary study time. Researchers observing workplace and elementary school settings with active workstations to combat sedentary behavior have shown enhanced cognition without distraction. Until now, incorporating active workstations in college classroom settings remained relatively unexplored. This study’s purpose was to assess academic performance using in-class stationary cycle desks during a semester-long lecture course. Twenty-one college students (19–24 years) enrolled in a lecture course volunteered and were split into traditional sit (SIT) and stationary cycle (CYC) groups randomly, matched on a calculated factor equal to a physical activity (PA) score (0–680) multiplied by grade point average (GPA; 4.0 scale). CYC pedaled a prescribed rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of less than 2 out of 10 during a 50-min lecture, 3 × week for 12 weeks. CYC averaged 42 min, 7.9 miles, and 1.7 RPE during class throughout the semester. No significant differences (p \u3e 0.05) were observed between CYC and SIT on in-class test scores or overall course grades. Although statistically insignificant, CYC had higher mean test scores and overall course grades vs. SIT (i.e., B+ vs. B, respectively). Low intensity cycling during a college lecture course maintained student academic performance and possibly reduced weekly sedentary behavior time