The triathlon, a sport of high risk for the health of the athletes?

We echo this news published in the digital newspaper zoomnews.es, that publishes an article commenting on the death of a triathe in the past Sertri de Zaragoza, and that indicates that a statement from the Spanish Heart Foundation says that Triathlon practice has more cardiovascular risk than other sports such as soccer or tennis.

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The death of a triathlete in Zaragoza last weekend has generated some doubts among lovers of this sport. This person, of 37 years old and native of the Basque Country, He died as a result of a heart attack fulminating that occurred while he was competing in the swimming segment. After this sad news, many wonder to what extent this sport entails risks of importance and if the organizers of the tests are really prepared to face situations of risk.

Triathlon is one of the most sacrificed sports that can be practiced at the moment, however, it should be clarified that not all triathlons are equally demanding. There are very hard tests like Ironman which consists of 3.800 meters of swimming, 180 kilometers of bike and 42 of running race but you can also participate in Sprint-type competitions in which you suffer much less: the distance is only from 750 meters of swimming, 20 kilometers of bike and Running 5

Although all aerobic exercise helps strengthen the heart, we must be aware that there are sports with higher cardiovascular risk than others. The Spanish Heart Foundation He warns that practicing triathlon is more risky than soccer, tennis or swimming. According to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology All sports are classified into three different grades -high, moderate and low- depending on the oxygen consumption in which the physical activity takes place. The triathlon, like rowing, cycling or boxing would be framed among sports with a high oxygen consumption.

The cardiologist Araceli Boraita , member of the Center of Sports Medicine warned a year ago that "if you are healthy, prepare and do a pre-conditioning, the sports that best promote cardiovascular health are those that have a high dynamic component. A professional is not the same as an amateur, but long distance running, tennis or football would be clear examples. "

Despite the fears that begin to emerge after the death this weekend, a study of the German University of Erlangen-Nuremberg In Germany, it has been confirmed for some time now that athletes who practice triathlon may have a lower risk of sudden death thanks to their training combining strength exercises with resistance. This study, published in the magazine 'Radiology' in 2010 shows that the heart of the triathletes adapts to the physical exercise they perform "in a balanced way", not like other high level athletes whose inadequate training favors the four cavities of the Hearts grow asymmetrically favoring sudden death.

In 2011, a worrying wave of deaths occurred in the United States during the course of several popular triathlons, especially in the swimming segment. The Washington Post ran an article in November linking those deaths to "panic attacks". "Even athletes with an iron heart are susceptible to these attacks may cause risks to the health of the athlete," said the investigation of the American newspaper.