Heart Rate Variability as a Neuroautonomic Marker to Assess the Impact of Karate Training – An Observational Pediatric Study

Habitual physical activity improves heart functions and parasympathetic tone; Karate training is considered as a moderate physical activity with rhythmical breathing patternology. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an electrophysiological tool which measures cardio autonomic homeostasis; is used in the present study as an indirect marker to measure neurocognitive development with karate training. The aim of the present study was to find out the impact of regular karate training on cardiac autonomic responses through Heart Rate Variability (HRV) between karate players and age-sex matched active controls. A total of 30 male school-going children were evaluated; fifteen were experienced male karate practitioners (9.5±1.26 years) and fifteen controls (10.6±1.57 years). The time and frequency domain measures of HRV were taken into account after check for normality distribution, followed by t-test for comparison of Mean±SD. Frequency domain measures; low frequency normalized unit (LF nu) and low frequency is to high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio) both showed significant reduction in the karate group which quantified sympathetic disposition while High frequency normalized units (HF nu) reflected a significant rise and it predicted increase in parasympathetic tone. Karate practitioners show higher HRV measures and more involvement of the parasympathetic nervous system which help in stress resilience and improved recovery time. This training if performed regularly from an early age can improve cardiac health which is very pertinent in the present times.