The Effect of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback on Recovery After Aerobic Exercise

Abstract

Recovery is a critical factor in athletic performance, and accelerating this process is essential to enable athletes to perform more effectively in both training load and competitive performance. After exercise, immediate recovery is potentially helpful for investigating autonomic activity levels, as they are definable with heart rate variability (HRV). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of ten sessions of HRV-Biofeedback (HRV-BF) training on recovery process parameters after the aerobic performance. In this study, twenty-four soccer players aged 18–24 volunteered to participate. The athletes who met the research criteria were divided into an experimental group (n = 12) and a control group (n = 12). Each participant’s height, weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and aerobic capacity were measured before and after the 10-session intervention. The experimental group participated in a 10-session HRV-BF training and soccer training program, while the control group only participated in a 10-session soccer training program. Aerobic capacity tests were then applied again to experimental and control group participants. The effect of biofeedback on the three HRV parameters during the 5-minute acute recovery period after the test was investigated. The results showed that regularly applied HRV-BF training can significantly shorten the HRV recovery parameter after exercise. Specifically, the athletes who performed HRV-BF training demonstrated faster cardiovascular recovery after aerobic exercise. This suggests that implementing HRV-BF training for athletes can significantly accelerate their recovery processes during and after competitions. Given recent technological advancements, it is promising to consider adding HRV-BF training to stress management interventions, particularly in relation to physiological stress indicators.