Background: Given that handball is a mixed sports activity requiring 3 energy systems, namely aerobic, anaerobic alactic and lactic, it supposes then a cavity dilatation for the efforts involving endurance and a parietal hypertrophy for the efforts involving anaerobic work.
Aim: To obtain, using the echocardiographic method, myocardic measurements from 3 groups of Tunisian handball players of different ages, in order to define the myocardic predispositions of the young players and to define the morphodynamic adaptation of the heart of the adult players so that the impact of the specialty on the operation and the morphology of the heart can be better explained.
Methods: Two-dimensional and time motion (T.M.) echocardiography (using a TOSHIBA SSH 104 A) was conducted to examine the following parameters: diastolic and systolic diameters of the left ventricle, the root of the aorta, the left atrium and the right ventricle, as well as the mean velocity of the shortening of circumferential fibers, the ejection time of left ventricle, and the dimensions of the inter-ventricular septum and the posterior wall as well as the E/A ratio. The echocardiograms were performed by medical technicians and reviewed by physicians. Thirty six handball players were involved in this study. Height and weight of all players were measured before the medical test.
Results: The Obtained results enable us to advance that the loads of drive and competition in handball requested the increase in the parameters of dilatation in the young players of 11-12 years to 15-16 years, whereas parameterize them of hypertrophy improved thereafter. What justifies the idea, which says that in the young players work must be based primarily on the improvement of aerobic quality requesting the dilatation of the myocardium, thereafter one can consider anaerobic work.
Conclusion: The practice of handball at an early age may induce both cavity dilatation and parietal hypertrophy. The long-term consequences and significance of this marked remodeling of the athlete's heart is not known.