Abstract

Introduction: Heart Rate Varibility (HRV) is a method to assess cardiac autonomic modulation. Acute physical exercise as well as altitude have an impact on the autonomic regulation of the heart, as evidenced by changes in HRV parameters. There is evidence of the utility of HRV measurement in sports as a tool for monitoring athletes and recovery times. Aim: To describe changes in cardiac autonomic regulation through HRV measurement in players of a professional soccer team, under conditions of hypobaric hypoxia as well as normobaric normoxia. Materials and methods: An analysis was made from the records of soccer players measured in three different locations, in the year 2012. Discussion: There was a significant decrease in HRV parameters under conditions of hypobaric hypoxia after an international championship match, with returned to normal values 36 hours later in the city of Santiago. This study provides evidence of the utility of HRV measurement as a tool of physiologic monitoring in situations of high intensity exercise under hypobaric hypoxia and the following recovery in professional athletes.