The effect of a 12 week plyometric and soccer training on the cardiac structure and function among the 13-15 years old boys

Exercise plays an important role in improving cardiovascular function. Due to the increasing tendency of children to the soccer the purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a 12 week plyometric and soccer training on the cardiac structure and function of healthy 13-15 years old boys.
This quasi- experimental study was conducted with a pre-test and post-test design. The participants (n=20) were selected among the non-athletic healthy boys (13-15 years) from Miyaneh (East Azerbaijan, Iran). After taking informed consent the participants were voluntarily participated in two equal Training and Control groups. The participants in the Exercise group performed a 12 week plyometric and soccer training. Under basic conditions and after a 12 week follow-up using the echocardiography both groups were examined for left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD), left ventricular end diastolic posterior wall dimension­ (LVPWd), inter-ventricular septal end diastolic dimension (IVSd), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF) and cardiac output (CO).
After a 12 week training program the LVEDD, LVPWd and SV were significantly increased (P A twelve week plyometric and soccer training in 13-15 years old boys result in significant changes in some cardiac structural and functional indexes.