Study of correlations between on-ice test performance and heart rate variability in ice hockey defensemen

BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability indicators in ice hockey athletes have been explored very poorly thus far. Investigating correlations between the indicators of heart rate variability and on-ice testing (the most efficient method for assessing special work capacity, energy supply, and adaptation of ice hockey players) is highly crucial given the labor intensity, high cost, and invasiveness of on-ice testing.

AIM: To study heart rate variability indicators in ice hockey defensemen during on-ice tests and to identify correlations between the metrics resulting from the examination using two methods.

METHODS: The study involved ten defensemen from a major league hockey team aged between 19 and 34 during the season of play. The study methods included: pulse measurement using the PolarTeamPro2 team system; determination of lactic acid content in blood using a photometric method; estimation of special work capacity, energy supply, and blood buffer capacity of players through on-ice testing; 5-minute rhythmocardiography using the KFS-01.001 Cardiometer-MT electrocardiograph (MIKARD-LANA, Russia). Results data were statistically processed using the Excel-2017 software.

RESULTS: Seven out of ten athletes (70%) had type 3 heart rate regulation according to Shlyk’s classification. Based on the median spectral indicators, it turned out that the central heart rate regulation circuit (low-frequency waves and very low-frequency waves) was dominant in defensemen. The total wave spectrum growth significantly correlated with the heart rate recovery indicators in the sample of defensemen (the correlation coefficient was −0.69) and suggested that the characteristics of the defensemen were close to the model characteristics of on-ice testing (correlation coefficient of 0.689). The value of the parasympathetic component of the wave spectrum (high-frequency waves) significantly negatively correlated with the test completion time (correlation coefficient of −0.48) (special work capacity) and blood lactate in on-ice testing (correlation coefficient of 0.515).

CONCLUSION: Improvements in the cardiovascular system’s adaptation to special ice work and the approximation of defensemen’s characteristics to model characteristics are closely related to an increase in overall heart rate variability and the central heart rate regulation circuit. The dynamics of heart rate variability indicators can be used as an operational control over ice hockey defensemen.