Stress test for sportsmen and women

"The sports checkup allows to rule out possible pathologies that contraindicate the sports practice, and in this way to carry it out without risks and to avoid injuries that are derived from an inadequate practice".

DR. JUAN BERTÓ BOTELLA
PERSON IN CHARGE. SPORTS MEDICINA AREA

The Clinica Universidad de Navarra offers effort tests especially directed at sportsmen and women or people who wish to start in sports.

Conducted by medical specialists in the area of Sports Medicine, the objective of the stress tests is to evaluate the response of the organism during physical effort.

In this way, the anaerobic threshold of each individual is determined, at which point the sportsperson's muscles are no longer capable of consuming glucose and begin to synthesize lactic acid. These thresholds are a fundamental part when designing a training plan and knowing the ideal intensity when training.

In the Clinic, the test of effort is integrated in the Sport Valuation, examination that looks for to offer to the sportsman a deeper study than the one that could offer a test of independent effort, including in addition to this one, a series of tests, controls and additional recommendations to manage to improve the sport performance and a free activity of risks.

Imagen del icono de la consulta de Segunda Opinión. Clínica Universidad de Navarra

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When is the stress test for sportspeople indicated?

The stress test determines the anaerobic threshold, which occurs at a certain heart rate (beats per minute). Once this threshold is exceeded, the body begins to produce lactic acid and sports performance begins to decline.

Knowing this level, an appropriate training plan can be defined in order to raise the threshold and improve sports performance.

Thus, the stress test serves to determine the appropriate level of physical effort for each individual so that training is more productive and progress is made more quickly and effectively.

In addition, it allows the detection of some arrhythmias, myocardiopathies and congenital or rheumatic cardiopathies, or the prognosis of some heart diseases, avoiding risks in the sport activity.

Know what the stress test for athletes is and how it is done (available in Spanish)

To whom it is addressed:

  • Sportsmen and women, professionals or amateurs, who wish to improve their performance.
  • Athletes who want to know their state of health and possible contraindications for doing a certain sport.
  • Any person, child or adult, who wants to start safely in the practice of sports.

Do you want to practice sport in the safest way?

You may need to have a stress test

How is the stress test for athletes carried out?

In all effort tests, the aim is to bring the athlete in a controlled way to the point of exhaustion in order to assess the body's response. This can be achieved on a treadmill, where the patient runs, or on a cycloergometer, if the athlete is a cyclist and prefers this option.

The stress test can be performed with greater or lesser complexity. The most complete version is the one that includes the measurement of the body's gas consumption and an electrocardiogram to evaluate the heart's response, for whose interpretation a specialized physician is indispensable.

Stress tests are generally safe. Some patients may have chest pain or may faint or fade. A heart attack or dangerous irregular heart rhythm rarely occurs.

Usually, people who are likely to have such complications are known in advance to have weak hearts, and are not usually tested.

After the test you can resume your normal activities.

During the subsequent sports practices, you should take into account the recommendations based on your aerobic and anaerobic thresholds to achieve greater sports performance.

Where do we do it?

IN NAVARRE AND MADRID

The Sports Medicine Area
of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra

The Sports Medicine Area of the Clinica is the official medical provider of Club Atlético Osasuna at its headquarters in Pamplona.

It is composed of cardiologists specialized in cardiac pathology in sports with a wide experience in the professional sports world, pneumologists, traumatologists, nutritionists, radiologists, physiotherapists and specialists in internal medicine, in order to achieve a multidisciplinary approach to the patient.

Attention to sportsmen and women

  • Advanced sports assessment.
  • Elite sports rating.
  • Prevention of sudden death.
  • Children's sports assessment.
Imagen de la fachada de consultas de la sede en Pamplona de la Clínica Universidad de Navarra

Why at the Clinica?

  • We have the most advanced technology for the diagnosis and treatment of the athlete.
  • Experts in treatments in Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology.
  • We work closely with physiotherapists to achieve maximum performance of athletes.