A.I. BURNASYAN FMBC CLINICAL BULLETIN

ISSN 2782-6430 (print)

State Research Center −Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical
Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency

The journal is published in Russian.
Format – A4.
The periodicity of the journal is 4 times a year.

Issue №1, 2026

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A.I. Burnasyan  FMBC clinical bulletin. 2026 № 1

I.V. Kruglova1, N.S. Bogoyavlenskix1, V.N. Sidorenkova1, K.S. Domashhenko2, E.M. Kovaleva1

Features of Functional Load Testing in Swimmer

1International Office, State Research Center – Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, Russiа

2Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University”, Simferopol’, Russiа

Contact person: Kovaleva Ekaterina Maksimovna: kovaleva-em@yandex.ru

 

Abstract
Functional load testing in swimming one of the fundamental principles of functional load testing is specificity. It is optimal to conduct specific tests in the swimming pool for swimmers. However, these tests only consider the average time of swimming distance and provide limited information about the organism’s reactions. The most accurate method to determine the functional state of an athlete’s organism during swimming is using a portable gas analyzer. However, this format of load testing is challenging to implement in routine practice. Attempts have been made to create special swimming simulators for «laboratory» diagnostics of swimmers. These devices provide results close to those obtained in water but demonstrate lower values due to distorted physical forces and differences in body position and movements. It is also possible to use tests on treadmills, arm ergometers, and cycle ergometers for functional load testing for swimmers. The use of an arm ergometer engages fewer muscle groups and underestimates indicators by 20 – 30 %. Testing on a treadmill provides higher values of maximum oxygen consumption in swimmers compared to runners due to their body weight. However, the difference disappears when adjusted for body weight. Hypertonic or stepwise types of response to load and higher heart rate indicators were more frequently recorded for testing on a cycle ergometer compared to specific swimming tests. Cycle ergometry in combination with an arm ergometer can be a useful diagnostic test. However, the practical application of this test combination is complicated by the development of fatigue and distortion of results.

Keywords: functional load testing, sports swimming, bicycle ergometry, gasanalysis, maximum oxygen consumption

For citation: Kruglova IV, Bogoyavlenskikh NS, Sidorenkova VN, Domashchenko KS, Kovaleva EM. Features of Functional Load Testing in Swimmers. A.I. Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center Clinical Bulletin. 2026.1:23-30. (In Russian) DOI: 10.33266/2782-6430-2026-1-23-30

 

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Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Financing. The study had no sponsorship.
Contribution. Article was prepared with equal participation of the authors.
Article received: 18.12.2025. Accepted for publication: 20.01.2026

© 2026 Scientific journal - "Clinical Bulletin of the FMBС im. A.I. Burnasyan"
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