In a nutshell
This paper studied the impact of table tennis on patients with coronary artery disease.
Some background
Coronary artery disease occurs when there is a build-up of a fatty substance called plaque in the blood vessels. This can obstruct blood flow and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Studies suggest that sudden strenuous physical activity may increase the risk of heart attack and sudden death. This might be because the heart is not accustomed to the heavy demands of exercise. Compared to other racquet sports, table tennis has a smaller court size and may be associated with less demand on the heart. Thus it is suggested that it might be appropriate for patients as a leisure activity.
Methods & findings
10 men with histories of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or congestive heart failure (when the heart does not pump blood effectively) were studied. They first underwent a 10 minute warm-up on the treadmill. After that, they played two 10 minute games of table tennis with a rest period in between. The body's energy use (oxygen consumption) and heart rate were monitored every minute. Blood pressure was measured after each game.
No patients had adverse signs or symptoms (undesired effect of treatment). No patient had insufficient blood supply that was detected by an ECG machine (machine that measures electrical activity of the heart).
Peak heart rate during table tennis was 98 beats per minute. This was significantly lower than peak heart rate during treadmill testing which was 118 beats per minute. Peak blood pressure was 15 mmHg higher during treadmill testing compared to table tennis. Over the first few minutes of table tennis, the maximum rate of oxygen consumption levels gradually increased.
2 of the 10 patients attained or exceeded the peak heart rate achieved during treadmill testing. 3 patients experienced ectopic beats (skipped or additional heart beat) during table tennis. Of these 3 patients, 2 patients also had irregular heart beat during treadmill training.
The bottom line
The authors concluded that table tennis is a relatively safe and potentially beneficial leisure-time activity for patients with poor heart fitness.
The fine print
A small number of patients were studied.
What’s next?
Discuss with your doctor whether lower-impact forms of physical activity, such as table tennis, can improve your fitness level.
Published By :
The American journal of cardiology
Date :
Dec 15, 2014
