History
The athlete's heart was first described in 1899 by S. Henschen. He compared the heart size of cross-country skiers to those who lived sedentary lives. He noticed that those who participated in competitive sports displayed symptoms of athlete’s heart syndrome. Henschen believed the symptoms were a normal adjustment to exercise, and felt there was no need for concern. Henschen believed that the entire heart became enlarged, when in fact it is only the left side that becomes hypertrophic. He also believed athletes with AHS lived shorter lives than those who did not acquire the syndrome. Because his research occurred throughout the 19th century, technology was limited, and it became difficult to come up with appropriate ways to measure the hearts of athletes. Few believed in Henschen’s theory about athletes having larger hearts than those who did not participate in sports. Today, Henschen’s original theory has proved to be correct.
Read more about this topic: Athletic Heart Syndrome
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