Medical training and technological devices are the key to a healthy heart

One of the cornerstones of disease prevention in sports is the evaluation of cardiac function, at rest but above all under stress.  With the so-called 'stress test' the sports physician can assess whether the heart muscle works best or if there are problems.

Heart rate is a key parameter in stress tests, but is also monitored during training and, in some sports such as running and cycling, also during the competition itself. Thanks to the use of heart rate monitors, cardiac control is now possible for athletes of all ages and levels, from Sunday sportsmen to world-class athletes.

In this scenario, the development and use of innovative technologies allow the athlete who has received the right indications on the parameters to be controlled or followed, to train safely, to prevent any heart problems and to be able to effectively adjust the intensity of his/her training.

Technology, sport and growth is part of a new culture of cardiovascular prevention "tailored" for each person and each family. These have been the topics discussed during the first edition of Milano Heart Week, the cycle of conferences and events organized by Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS in Milan. As part of this event, Technogym hosted in its flagship store in Via Durini 1, in collaboration with the Centro Cardiologico Monzino, the day is called " Fare attività fisica fa bene al cuore” (Doing physical activity is good for the heart), an open day dedicated to prevention and wellness.

The day began with the possibility given to those who took part in the initiative to test their basic parameters of 'physical fitness': body composition, aerobic capacity, strength and flexibility. It was then followed with the evening conference "Your movement: your heart", a panel discussion with numerous experts in the medical and sports fields to discuss the use of technology and sports medicine in the prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular disorders and traumas.

The conference was moderated by Gianni Valenti, Deputy Director of Gazzetta dello Sport and the main speakers included; Dr. Silvano Zanuso Ph.D, Scientific Communication & Research Manager Technogym and Dr. Antonio Dello Russo, cardiologist at the Monzino Sport Cardiology Centre Monzino IRCCS. Also present as sports physicians were Dr. Stefano Mazzoni, sports physician for A.C. Milan, Dr. Rudy Tavana, sports physician for Torino F.C. and Dr. Piero Volpi, sports physician for F.C. Internazionale.

Physical exercise as a medicine

According to international health guidelines, the golden rule of physical well-being is to perform at least 20 minutes of moderate physical activity every day for a total of at least 150 minutes of weekly physical activity. Examples of physical activity are fast walking, stair climbing or cycling.

In addition, twice a week a more structured form of physical activity should be performed, involving an increase in intensity by performing both aerobic (constant intensity activities over a prolonged period of time such as running, swimming or biking) and anaerobic (high-intensity activities for a short duration such as weightlifting) exercises.

Doing sports or other types of physical activity, both preventive and rehabilitative, brings many benefits to the well-being of a person. Among the most relevant are the decrease in heart rate for the same physical effort (basically, it means you can perform an activity or exercise with a lower heart rate) and the increase in the basal metabolic rate, or energy expenditure at rest due to a change in body composition.

In essence, even if the body weight does not change, the body composition, by decreasing fat and increasing muscle mass, does. The change in body compositions equals an increase in calorie expenditure at rest, because muscle tissue is metabolically more active than fat.  These two effects are extremely valuable in the prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases and disorders, both for individuals at risk and not.

Yet, as with any drug, the frequency and intensity of physical and sporting activity must be prescribed by medical specialists on the physical needs and individual limits, especially in the case of individuals at risk or undergoing rehabilitation. In this field as in the technological one, football has proved to be the benchmark for the state of the art of sports medicine.

In fact, in the world of football it was not uncommon for heart disease to occur due to a lack of monitoring or an inadequate training and rehabilitation course. These events have increased the level of care on the cardiac health of footballers, and subsequently, on all athletes who practice other sports.

Technology is an ally of our heart

In order to be able to prescribe the correct training it is necessary to test the cardiac function of an individual. In Italy, this practice has become mandatory for every person who approaches sport, resulting in disorders such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy becoming almost eliminated. To do this, reliable and accurate measurement systems must be constantly used.

The first form of prevention is the evaluation of the electrocardiogram, both at rest and under stress, by the sports doctor. However, today other heart rate monitoring systems that are especially useful in training are also widely used, such as heart rate monitors, pulse metres and heart rate sensors embedded in gym equipment. These systems allow a constant and real-time heart rate monitoring, and have become an integral part of the most sophisticated cardio-fitness equipment.

One form of heart rate management that is particularly useful in sports training, fitness and rehabilitation is training with CPR (Constant Pulse Rate), Technogym's patented system that allows you to train while keeping your heart rate constant.

All Technogym cardio equipment (treadmills, bicycles, elliptical, etc.) are equipped with this technology and allow you to maintain your heart rate, or to increase it progressively, in a gradual and controlled manner.