How to Include High-Intensive Interval Training in Young Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Objectives: Most of the children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are less active than healthy peers. However, sports participation leads to a better quality of life, exercise capacity, and a higher psychosocial functioning in children with CHD. Most interventional studies in CHD focus on moderate intensity continuous aerobic exercise training (MICT) in older children. In adult's cardiac rehabilitation (CR), even though MICT is effective, the CR uptake and adherence rates are poor. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves repeated intervals of high-intensity interspersed with rest. It has proven to be efficient for improving cardiovascular and metabolic function in healthy populations and in CR. HIIT is more time efficient than MICT and is generally more enjoyed. How to incorporate HIIT in young children with CHD? The trampoline seems an obvious choice.

Methods: Ten healthy children underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) using a mobile unit in the park as a running incremental step test to determine VO2peak, VT1, and VT2 and the respective cardiopulmonary parameters at these thresholds. They were tested again a week later on the trampoline using the same mobile cardiopulmonary exercise testing device according to the following protocol: 5-minute easy jumping, 1-minute rest, 2-minute intense jumping, 1-minute rest, and 2-minute intense jumping.

Result: With regard to all cardiopulmonary exercise variables, the children achieved similar to superior parameters on the trampoline in comparison to the outdoor incremental step test. They easily reached their maximum heart rate during maximum jumping and were able to keep it above 90% for the duration of the 2-minute interval. During the recovery, all parameters decreased to below VT1. During the endurance jumping, all children were well above VT1. There were no complications.

Conclusion: Trampoline jumping is a very effective way to achieve HIIT in young children. The children all stated that the trampoline study had been way more fun than the field test in the park which again was more enjoyable than the ramp test in the laboratory. Trampoline jumping could represent an adequate tool for HIIT in young children with CHD.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
21. Februar 2021