Determining the state of fitness of an athlete

Determining the state of fitness of an athlete

Actual aspects of modern sports medicine are preventive and aim to increase the level of the functional state of the organism (FSO), which is the physiological basis of physical and mental well-being. The participation of the physician in determining the state of fitness is limited to determining the functional state level, which is an important part of physical fitness but not the only one.

The term functional state is increasingly used in the assessment of any particular biological system of the body. From the point of view of the vital functions of the whole organism, it is believed that along with the functional state of its parts, there is a category for the functional state of the organism as a whole.

In order to assess the general condition of the body in athletes, there are many tests that are based on an analysis of indicators of the cardio-pulmonary system under the influence of significant physical activity. 

This testing has many disadvantages:

• Complete testing takes 2 days, before which there should be a day of rest.
• violated the habitual plan of preparation for a competition;
• Is carried out at the beginning and end of the sports season and during competition breaks;
• It does not detect acute and chronic diseases.
• Not carried out during or after an illness or injury;
• Each sport has its own stress tests.
• Limitation of age (15–40 years).

Athletes and coaches need objective information about the FSO level in any period of the annual training-competitive cycle, but especially just before a competition. That is, there is an urgent need for such an assessment of FSO technology, which would exclude the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Criteria for an ideal evaluation of FSO in athletes:

• being integrated (systemic, simultaneous, multi-functional);
• Reflect the adaptive capacity of the body (functional reserve);
• To form an unambiguous conclusion about the level of the FSO,
• being universal (for any sport);
• Conducted in any period of the annual cycle and takes a short time;
• Do not have contraindications when sick or injured;
• To identify acute and chronic diseases;
• Do not have an age limit.