The common consumption of electronic music by small and light mp3 players during running raises the question if there is a performance benefit on the one hand or a cardiovascular risk on the other hand, respectively, for recreational and elite runners. In our study eight recreational runners (RR: age 24.8±3.3 yrs; size 182±4 cm; body mass 81.0±7.9 kg; BMI 22.5±2.2; anaerobic threshold [v4] 3.26±0.48 m/s) and eight elite runners (ER: age 28.6±3.5 yrs; size 182±3 cm; body mass 73.8±5.1 kg; BMI 20.5±1.5; v4 4.36±0.25 m/s) completed an incremental treadmill test (TT) and a continuous running session (RS) until exhaustion at a velocity of 90 % v4. Both experimental parts were repeated twice with at least three days of recovery in between. The runners listened to self selected and sorted music by an mp3 player with earphones (volume was not limited) during one of the two exercise repetitions in a matched cross-over design. In TT we determined sub maximum (4 mmol/l blood lactate, LA) and maximum values for running velocity (v), heart rate (HR), VO2 and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). In RS we measured total running time and total running distance as well as LA, HR, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), RPE, stride frequency (SF) and stride length (SL) for every 10 min interval of running time. The following results (mean ± standard deviation) were calculated using a multi factor ANOVA (main factors were performance group, music intervention and measurement time). In TT the music intervention (M) had no main effect on sub maximum and maximum running velocity, HF and VO2. RPE at 2 mmol/l LA was significantly lower in M (10.8±3.5 vs. 12.5±1.2, p<0.05) but was not affected at higher intensities. In RS total running time and total running distances until exhaustion were significantly increased in M for both groups (RR: 14.0±2.5 km in 80±12 min vs. 12.6±1.8 km in 73±13 min; ER: 21.2±3.1 km in 90±13 min vs. 18.1±2.8 km in 79±14 min , p<0.01 for main factor music intervention). No main effect for music intervention was found for LA, HR and RER. Running time until reaching RPE 15 was significantly longer in M in both groups (67±18 min vs. 47±14 min, p<0.01). Running coordination (step frequency and length) were unaffected by the music. We conclude that a music intervention has no considerable effect on physiological and coordinative aspects during running. On the other hand running performance can be increased especially during moderate running (2 mmol/l LA). Obviously, recreational and elite runners are tolerating moderate intensities for a longer time because of a decreased work load perception. We conclude that music intervention may be helpful to increase training volume. The cardiovascular risk of music intervention in healthy runners seems to be low, since the autonomous signalling of peak intensity seems to be not affected. In case of a cardiovascular disease, off course, even a prolonged moderate run (e.g. during a marathon) can be dangerous.
© Copyright 2009 14th annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Oslo/Norway, June 24-27, 2009, Book of Abstracts. Veröffentlicht von The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.