AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze, through echocardiography, the structure and functional cardiac profile of national category Spanish soccer referees. METHODS:The sample consisted of 54 licensed referees, who belonged to the Football Inter-Insular Federation of Las Palmas. The sample presented a mean age of 28.52±6.39 years, a height of 1.76±0.07 m, a body mass of 77.26±10.74 kg and a Body Mass Index of 24.90±2-73 kg/m2. The diastolic and systolic dimensions of the left ventricle were 50.03±4.79 mm and 33.74±5.23 mm, respectively. The thicknesses of the interventricular septum and the posterior wall of the left ventricle were 9.77±1.53 mm and 9.47±1.54 mm, respectively. The left ventricular mass was 112.80±26.53 g/m2, the diastolic volume of the left ventricle 135.09±39.63 mL and the ejected volume 47.34±12.44 mL/m2. RESULTS:This study shows that the echocardiographic profile of football referees is characterized by presenting an increase in the left ventricular mass caused by an increase of the cardiac chambers and a normal systolic and diastolic function. The values obtained by football referees were higher than those found in sedentary people and lower than in professional football players. CONCLUSION: These differences may be due to the different physical training workloads employed by football players and referees.
© Copyright 2011 The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. Edizioni Minerva Medica. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.