Selected Podcast
Sports Cardiology: Expert Advice for Training
Seeing a specialized sports and exercise cardiologist can help those looking to start or resume exercise safely as well as elite athletes seeking to optimize athletic performance.
Featuring:
Thomas Morris, DO
Dr. Morris is a non-invasive cardiologist and co-medical director of sports cardiology at UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, UPMC Central PA. Board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, echocardiography and nuclear medicine, Dr. Morris completed medical school and residency at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine followed by fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in New Jersey. In his spare time, Dr. Morris is a general sports enthusiast and cycles competitively. Transcription:
Bill Klaproth: So what is sports and exercise cardiology and who should see a sports cardiologist? And how might this testing help to improve your athletic performance? Well, let's find out with Dr. Thomas Morris, a non-invasive cardiologist and Co-medical Director of Sports Cardiology at UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.
This is Healthier You, the podcast from UPMC in Central Pennsylvania. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Morris, thank you so much for your time. It's great to talk with you. So let's start with this. What is sports and exercise cardiology?
Dr. Thomas Morris: That's a great question and thanks for having me on. So sports and exercise cardiology is just that. It's the subset of cardiology that looks at sports and how it pertains to the heart, specifically the adaptation that the heart has over time with different types of exercise that we do. Just like there's no two sports that are exactly the same, a powerlifter's heart isn't necessarily going to look exactly the same as an endurance athlete, such as a runner's heart. And so this is the subset of cardiology that looks at all of that.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah, that makes sense. Like a basketball player's heart would be different from a baseball player's heart. So it is interesting to think about the different sports applications and the different needs on someone's heart.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely. Absolutely. Different types of start and go sports versus somebody like a power lifter who's kind of putting, you know, some strain on their muscles and their heart. The heart is a muscle, so it's going to have some of that strain too, and that's going to look different than another different type of sport's heart.
Bill Klaproth: Absolutely. So how did you get interested in this aspect of cardiology?
Dr. Thomas Morris: Well, I've been playing sports since I was, you know, old enough to walk basically. And I love cardiology and I love helping people out. And when I basically stumbled into sports cardiology, learned that there was this subset of cardiology, I instantly fell in love with it. I love helping people as far as, you know, from general cardiology, but also young athletes who may be having some sort of issue. You know, if I can help them identify what the problem is and get them to their best athletic performance, that's what I love to do.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah. So who should see a sports cardiologist? Who is a good candidate for your services?
Dr. Thomas Morris: The problem is people say, "Oh, well, you know, I'm not good enough to see a sports cardiologist" and that's not true. We're looking to help every patient from the weekend warrior all the way up to those that compete at the highest level. Like we said before, it's not just for runners and cyclists. We see patients who play any sport because, like we said, those different sports require different demands on the cardiovascular system. No two people are going to be the "standard athlete."
Bill Klaproth: And then speaking of the standard athlete, I would suppose there's many people who think, "Hey, my heart is in good shape. I don't need this." Maybe it's a golfer, "Hey, I'm only golfing. I don't need this." But, hey, listen, carrying a heavy bag around for 18 holes on a blazing hot day can certainly tax your heart. So what about the person who thinks, "Hey, I don't really need this"?
Dr. Thomas Morris: Well, unfortunately, just because you're an athlete, it doesn't mean that you might not have heart issues. Athletes are still at risk for coronary artery disease, conduction system disease or other cardiovascular problems. Sometimes, not to scare people, but because of their well-trained hearts, actually athletes may present later with significant issues.
It's all well and good. You know, we always encourage people to be active. And obviously, if you're athletic, that does decrease your risk of heart issues, but it doesn't necessarily say, "Hey, listen, don't have anything wrong with me. I play sports."
Bill Klaproth: Right. Yeah, that's a really good point. So what can someone expect during an appointment with a sports and exercise cardiologist?
Dr. Thomas Morris: First and foremost, obviously, we'll take a thorough history, talk to you about your sports, what kind of sport you play, you know, any kind of problems that you're having. Do a thorough physical examination. Listen to the heart, listen to the lungs. Do an EKG and electrocardiogram right there in the office that we can read right there. And then decide based off of everything that we're seeing if any other testing is needed.
Bill Klaproth: Okay. And then what kind of testing do you offer?
Dr. Thomas Morris: We offer standard cardiovascular testing, like the EKG, like I mentioned; an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart that shows us how well the heart's squeezing, let's just look at all the valves of the heart to see if there's any leakiness or stiffness. We can offer monitors to assess for any arrhythmias if we're worried about a conduction system issue or an electrical system issue with the heart. And then from purely a sports and exercise standpoint, we do a test called a VO2 max test. And that's the test that allows us to measure aerobic endurance of an athlete.
Bill Klaproth: Okay. So let me ask you this then. I know that we said this is really for anyone who participates in sports. So is it a good idea for anyone, no matter the age, before they start playing a sport, get their heart checked?
Dr. Thomas Morris: At the very least, they should see their primary care physician and make sure that their heart is healthy enough for whatever athletic endeavors they'd like to pursue. Our primary care physicians are our first-line defense, we like to say. If they detect any murmurs or anything that raises their kind of red flag, they can certainly send them on to us and where we're happy to help out, take that extra step and see if there's any cardiovascular testing that we need to do.
Bill Klaproth: Well, it seems like for someone who's saying, "You know what? Time for me to get active and get some exercise and get in shape. I'm going to start running." It seems like this would be perfect for someone just to check it out before starting some kind of an exercise or athletic program or a new sport.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely. We want everybody to be active, but we want them to be safe and healthy while getting active and getting themselves in the best shape that they can be in.
Bill Klaproth: Right. And then can this testing help to improve athletic performance as well? Could there be another benefit too?
Dr. Thomas Morris: So the VO2 max test, the results actually give us an overall idea of the patient's aerobic capacity. So for athletes, this information can actually be used to determine training zones based off of their response to exercise. For those that are very into their training, you know, we have certain trainings zones that we try to keep our heart rate in. I'm a cyclist, so I have different zones where I try to keep my heart if I'm on an endurance ride versus an interval ride. So this test actually will help us to determine those training zones based off of their heart rates and their response to exercise.
We also can use this data to see where the patient stands in comparison to known data that would suggest success at a high level based off of their cardiorespiratory fitness. So that would actually give us a number. So your VO2 max test number is blank. And we know, okay, if it's within this range, "You might need to pick it up a little bit." But if you're in the, you know, a higher range that tells you, "Hey, listen, you know, you're doing pretty good," that tells us that your training is on track.
Bill Klaproth: So if you are going to start a new sport or get active or do something to again get in shape, it only seems that it would make sense to go see a sports cardiologist just to make sure your heart is healthy enough for it and where it's at and what improvement could be made.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah. That makes totally a lot of sense. Is there anything else you want to add, Dr. Morris? This has really been interesting.
Dr. Thomas Morris: No, just we want to help people achieve their best. So we know we're certainly happy to help in any way possible.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah, that sounds good. Well, thank you for your time, Dr. Morris. We appreciate it. So from the weekend warrior out in the backyard to someone who's playing an organized sport, getting your heart checked by an exercise cardiologist certainly makes sense. Dr. Morris, once again, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely. It was my pleasure.
Bill Klaproth: And that's Dr. Thomas Morrison. And for more information, visit upmc.com/centralpasportsandcardiology. Once again, upmc.com/centralpasportsandcardiology. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you.
This is Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC. I'm Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Bill Klaproth: So what is sports and exercise cardiology and who should see a sports cardiologist? And how might this testing help to improve your athletic performance? Well, let's find out with Dr. Thomas Morris, a non-invasive cardiologist and Co-medical Director of Sports Cardiology at UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.
This is Healthier You, the podcast from UPMC in Central Pennsylvania. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Morris, thank you so much for your time. It's great to talk with you. So let's start with this. What is sports and exercise cardiology?
Dr. Thomas Morris: That's a great question and thanks for having me on. So sports and exercise cardiology is just that. It's the subset of cardiology that looks at sports and how it pertains to the heart, specifically the adaptation that the heart has over time with different types of exercise that we do. Just like there's no two sports that are exactly the same, a powerlifter's heart isn't necessarily going to look exactly the same as an endurance athlete, such as a runner's heart. And so this is the subset of cardiology that looks at all of that.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah, that makes sense. Like a basketball player's heart would be different from a baseball player's heart. So it is interesting to think about the different sports applications and the different needs on someone's heart.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely. Absolutely. Different types of start and go sports versus somebody like a power lifter who's kind of putting, you know, some strain on their muscles and their heart. The heart is a muscle, so it's going to have some of that strain too, and that's going to look different than another different type of sport's heart.
Bill Klaproth: Absolutely. So how did you get interested in this aspect of cardiology?
Dr. Thomas Morris: Well, I've been playing sports since I was, you know, old enough to walk basically. And I love cardiology and I love helping people out. And when I basically stumbled into sports cardiology, learned that there was this subset of cardiology, I instantly fell in love with it. I love helping people as far as, you know, from general cardiology, but also young athletes who may be having some sort of issue. You know, if I can help them identify what the problem is and get them to their best athletic performance, that's what I love to do.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah. So who should see a sports cardiologist? Who is a good candidate for your services?
Dr. Thomas Morris: The problem is people say, "Oh, well, you know, I'm not good enough to see a sports cardiologist" and that's not true. We're looking to help every patient from the weekend warrior all the way up to those that compete at the highest level. Like we said before, it's not just for runners and cyclists. We see patients who play any sport because, like we said, those different sports require different demands on the cardiovascular system. No two people are going to be the "standard athlete."
Bill Klaproth: And then speaking of the standard athlete, I would suppose there's many people who think, "Hey, my heart is in good shape. I don't need this." Maybe it's a golfer, "Hey, I'm only golfing. I don't need this." But, hey, listen, carrying a heavy bag around for 18 holes on a blazing hot day can certainly tax your heart. So what about the person who thinks, "Hey, I don't really need this"?
Dr. Thomas Morris: Well, unfortunately, just because you're an athlete, it doesn't mean that you might not have heart issues. Athletes are still at risk for coronary artery disease, conduction system disease or other cardiovascular problems. Sometimes, not to scare people, but because of their well-trained hearts, actually athletes may present later with significant issues.
It's all well and good. You know, we always encourage people to be active. And obviously, if you're athletic, that does decrease your risk of heart issues, but it doesn't necessarily say, "Hey, listen, don't have anything wrong with me. I play sports."
Bill Klaproth: Right. Yeah, that's a really good point. So what can someone expect during an appointment with a sports and exercise cardiologist?
Dr. Thomas Morris: First and foremost, obviously, we'll take a thorough history, talk to you about your sports, what kind of sport you play, you know, any kind of problems that you're having. Do a thorough physical examination. Listen to the heart, listen to the lungs. Do an EKG and electrocardiogram right there in the office that we can read right there. And then decide based off of everything that we're seeing if any other testing is needed.
Bill Klaproth: Okay. And then what kind of testing do you offer?
Dr. Thomas Morris: We offer standard cardiovascular testing, like the EKG, like I mentioned; an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart that shows us how well the heart's squeezing, let's just look at all the valves of the heart to see if there's any leakiness or stiffness. We can offer monitors to assess for any arrhythmias if we're worried about a conduction system issue or an electrical system issue with the heart. And then from purely a sports and exercise standpoint, we do a test called a VO2 max test. And that's the test that allows us to measure aerobic endurance of an athlete.
Bill Klaproth: Okay. So let me ask you this then. I know that we said this is really for anyone who participates in sports. So is it a good idea for anyone, no matter the age, before they start playing a sport, get their heart checked?
Dr. Thomas Morris: At the very least, they should see their primary care physician and make sure that their heart is healthy enough for whatever athletic endeavors they'd like to pursue. Our primary care physicians are our first-line defense, we like to say. If they detect any murmurs or anything that raises their kind of red flag, they can certainly send them on to us and where we're happy to help out, take that extra step and see if there's any cardiovascular testing that we need to do.
Bill Klaproth: Well, it seems like for someone who's saying, "You know what? Time for me to get active and get some exercise and get in shape. I'm going to start running." It seems like this would be perfect for someone just to check it out before starting some kind of an exercise or athletic program or a new sport.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely. We want everybody to be active, but we want them to be safe and healthy while getting active and getting themselves in the best shape that they can be in.
Bill Klaproth: Right. And then can this testing help to improve athletic performance as well? Could there be another benefit too?
Dr. Thomas Morris: So the VO2 max test, the results actually give us an overall idea of the patient's aerobic capacity. So for athletes, this information can actually be used to determine training zones based off of their response to exercise. For those that are very into their training, you know, we have certain trainings zones that we try to keep our heart rate in. I'm a cyclist, so I have different zones where I try to keep my heart if I'm on an endurance ride versus an interval ride. So this test actually will help us to determine those training zones based off of their heart rates and their response to exercise.
We also can use this data to see where the patient stands in comparison to known data that would suggest success at a high level based off of their cardiorespiratory fitness. So that would actually give us a number. So your VO2 max test number is blank. And we know, okay, if it's within this range, "You might need to pick it up a little bit." But if you're in the, you know, a higher range that tells you, "Hey, listen, you know, you're doing pretty good," that tells us that your training is on track.
Bill Klaproth: So if you are going to start a new sport or get active or do something to again get in shape, it only seems that it would make sense to go see a sports cardiologist just to make sure your heart is healthy enough for it and where it's at and what improvement could be made.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah. That makes totally a lot of sense. Is there anything else you want to add, Dr. Morris? This has really been interesting.
Dr. Thomas Morris: No, just we want to help people achieve their best. So we know we're certainly happy to help in any way possible.
Bill Klaproth: Yeah, that sounds good. Well, thank you for your time, Dr. Morris. We appreciate it. So from the weekend warrior out in the backyard to someone who's playing an organized sport, getting your heart checked by an exercise cardiologist certainly makes sense. Dr. Morris, once again, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it.
Dr. Thomas Morris: Absolutely. It was my pleasure.
Bill Klaproth: And that's Dr. Thomas Morrison. And for more information, visit upmc.com/centralpasportsandcardiology. Once again, upmc.com/centralpasportsandcardiology. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics of interest to you.
This is Healthier You, a podcast from UPMC. I'm Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.