Background: The physiology of exercise regeneration and interventions to improve post-exercise recovery are significant fields of study in Sports Medicine. First findings indicate an effect of acupuncture on the physiological and mental state in the post-competition period (Akimoto et al., 2003). The current study assessed the immediate effects of needle acupuncture on heart rate variability (HRV) during post-exercise recovery. Methods: Seven recreational athletes (25.8 ± 2.3 years) completed two maximum cycle ergometer tests (50 + 25 Watt, 2 minutes) with subsequent acupuncture treatment one week apart. In a cross-over design, the needling was performed at Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture points, and at non-acupuncture points (sham treatment). HRV was continuously monitored before and after exercise (Polar S810) and analyzed by HRV Software (HRV-Analysis 1.1). Frequency parameters 2.5, 7.5 and 12.5 minutes after exercise cessation were expressed relative to baseline values. Results: TCM acupuncture induced a 2- and 3-fold higher total power as compared to sham-Acupuncture 7.5 and 12.5 minutes post exercise (p <0.05). respectively, while no significant differences were observed for the other frequency domain parameters. Conclusion: HRV measures provide a feasible approach to monitor autonomous post-exercise regulation. The results suggest a modulating effect of acupuncture on the regeneration after exercise. Further studies might evaluate the effects of acupuncture-related autonomous regulation changes during recovery on subsequent exercise performance.
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