SUMMARY ON SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE ON POLAR OVERTRAINING TEST

Dr. Raija Laukkanen
Director, Exercise Science
18.11.2003

Polar Overtraining Test (POT) is a non-invasive self test based on resting and orthostatic heart rate and heart rate variability measurements. It is aimed for overreaching and overtraining detection for sportsmen. The test is built into the Polar VNV and its successor Polar S810 HR monitors. The result of the test is analyzed and evaluated with Polar Precision Performance software. Altogether five studies (one the them, by Rusko, a lecture summary) have been published on Polar Overtraining Test during 1998-2000 and in all of them Polar VNV has been used.

Rusko has conducted several trials on overreaching in different sportsmen groups since 1980´ies. These studies show that overtraining leads to increased HR measured at supine and standing and that the changes in HR in standing are related to changes in performance. Altitude training studies have shown that HR supine and standing reflect changes in stress due hypoxia. HRV was found to increase with the increase in VO_2max while overtraining was related to decreased HRV.

Hoffman et al. did study POT in healthy experienced endurance, speed-power and skill athletes (10 women, 20 men) took test in the morning after light training day during basic endurance pre-competition training period. Great interindividual variation was found in test results. The values detected can be used as recommended general reference values for the athlete groups. No differences were found between men and women. Measurement of individual values is  recommended  for base line values.

POT was measured in seven  male orienteers (Kaikkonen, Laukkanen) before, during and after intensive training period. They trained total of 19 hours (2-3 times daily) for 10 days. Resting HR and HRV results were consistent with the subjective feelings of stress and training intensity. After the camp HRV remained low, even HR (bpm) did incidate total recovery. POT was concluded a useful tool for recovery and overtraining detection.

Rusko et al did follow Finnish athletes preparing for Sydney Olympics 2000. POT was measured before and for 10 consecutive mornings after 22-hour flight from Finland to Sydney. Air flight and zone shift for 9 hours induced HR and HRV changes which lasted for 10 days.Individual differences in the adaptation to jet lag were great and some athletes did not recover to baseline values in 10 days. POT was suggested as a simple mean to control the adaptation to jet lag in athletes.

In the IOC Olympic Congress in Athens 2003 Esa Hynynen at al . presented
results were he compared overtrained athletes reactions to those controls. In the mean standard deviation of RRI`s  the difference was found between the groups in heart rate variability parameters. Even the more clear difference was found in cognitive functions (tested with the Stroop Colour Word Test).

REFERENCES

Hoffman, Uusitalo-Koskinen, Rusko. Variation of athletes heart rate parameters in the orthostatic test. IV Scandinavian Congress on Medicine and Science in Sports, Lahti, 5.-8.11.1998.

Hynynen et al. Cardiac autonomic response in overtrained athletes. IOC Congress, Athens, October 2003, oral presentation.

Kaikkonen, Karppinen, Laukkanen. Recovery and overtraining detection in male orienteers before, during and after intensive training period. 6th International Scientific Meeting on Orienteering, Oslo, 17-20.8.1997.

Laukkanen, Kaikkonen, Karppinen.  Heart rate and heart rate variability in male orienteers before, during and after intensive training camp. Sci J Orienteering , pp.13-22,1998.

Rusko, Hynynen, Vasankari. Heart rate and heart rate variability during adaptation to rapid time zone shift. 2000 Pre-Olympic Congress, Brisbane, 7.-12.9.2000.

Rusko. Overtraining  and detection of overtraining by Polar Heart rate monitors. 2000 Pre-Olympic Congress, Brisbane, 7.-12.9.2000.