APPLICATION OF PULSE OXIMETRY IN SPORTS AND DIAGNOSTIC AID

Pulse oximetry is a method used to assess peripheral blood oxygen saturation based on the determination of the level of red light absorption, directly influenced by the hemoglobin levels. This technique analyses the pulsatile signal generated from the variation in arterial blood flow with the pulse generated by the heartbeat. It is applied in a continuous manner as a non-invasive technique to monitor patients throughout the process of anaesthesia and intensive care, neonatal control, evaluation and monitoring of chronic and nocturnal lung disorders, and in sports medicine. Recent studies have shown that classical red and infrared transmitters underestimate oxygen saturation in levels below 70%. This problem is of special importance in cases where these values are reached - such as fetal monitoring, sleep apnea studies, results in management rehabilitation post covid 19 and stress tests. The use of devices with wereable photoplethysmography (PPG) technology improves the accuracy of heart rate.
This technique, applied to the fitness assessment of athletes in combination with the stress test, is a complementary and appropriate method for determining the limit of cardiopulmonary stress, characterized by a significant drop in oxygen saturation. The study of oxygen saturation value during exercise is a key parameter in improving athletic performance, that has been proved during maximal exercise test, cycle ergometer and treadmill.

1. Training control and management though training apps.
2. Heart rate control and management in healthy individuals through training apps.
3. Monitoring of the training loads of amateur athletes.
4. Monitoring and control high-level athlete training.
5. Control and monitoring high-altitude sport done and sports performed without oxygen (Himalayan sport).
6. Control of the patient who needs exercise prescription. Similarly, we believe that this applies to the study of cardiac patients, such as patients with coronary pathologies undergoing cardiac rehabilitation processes (whose heart rate should be adjusted to physiological conditions), or in respiratory and physical therapy rehabilitation in order to adapt oxygen saturation levels during exercise, as well as in other metabolic diseases such as diabetes, etc. where a scheduled exercise prescription regarding heart rate oxygen saturation, and therefore of lactic acid levels, is necessary.
7. Assessment in physical activity using oxygen saturation determination for predicting ventilatory and lactate threshold; A future application for wearables in sport.Consider using pulse oximetry as a non-invasive method to determine metabolic parameters in training, by studying the relationship between oxygen saturation levels and lactate concentration and ventilatory thresholds.
8. Accuracy of heart rate in PPG Wrist-Worn devices during intense physical activity.The development of technology in these last years has burst forcefully in all human fields, especially in sports. These technological advances in sports help us to be in shape and control our health, controlling our biomedical data while we perform physical activity. The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of the heart rate obtained by different activity wrist-worst.

Documents requested
1.- Cover letter
2.- CV
3.- List Publications and Research projets and Grants