Increase in Heart-Rate due to the Effect of Push-Ups as a Simple Rhythmic Exercise - Lab Report Example

The paper “Increase in Heart-Rate due to the Effect of Push-Ups as a Simple Rhythmic Exercise" is a potent example of a lab report on health sciences & medicine. In the current study, two students were observed for changes in heart rate before and after physical exercise, push-ups in this case. The heart rate and respiratory rate were found to be increased in these students which are a positive trend in response to the physical exertion is due to exercise. However, the true significance lies in the fact that this finding can be extrapolated to people with heart disease, who show sustained increased heart rate and poor recovery post-exercise (Jouven et al. 2005).HypothesisMy hypothesis is that performing pushups as a simple rhythmic exercise can increase autonomic nervous activities such as the heart rate and respiratory rate.

We are using two sets of data that are being compared with each other over a period of time. In such a case, bar graphs are best suited for effectively bringing out the information. Graph 1 shows the Heart Rate measured in two students prior to and after physical exercise (push-ups). An increase in the Heart Rate is observed in the students. Student 2 showed an increased Heart Rate of 0.733 after push-ups in comparison to 0.068 before exercise. Graph 2 shows the Respiratory Rate before and after physical exercise (push-ups).

As with the Heart Rate, this also shows an increase in both the students. Student 1 showed an increase from 26 per min to 46 per min, while Student 2 showed an increase from 13 per min to 34 per min. Discussion The article I summarized was “Control of Heart Rate by the Autonomic Nervous System: Studies in Man on the Interrelation between Baroreceptor Mechanisms and Exercise” (Robertson et al., 1966). The results of my study show that the heart rate and respiratory rate does increase post physical exercise such as push-ups.

The summarized article showed similar results in that the autonomic nervous activity including heart rate showed a marked increase from that at rest to exercise at a supine position and postural changes (Robertson et al. 1966). Physical exercise such as push-ups as in my study changes the body functions included in the autonomic nervous system such as heart rate and respiratory rate. This is comparable with the study conducted by Robertson et al. (1966), which also proved that cardiac performance during exercise is adjusted, in this case, increased to the metabolic demand.

As with the studies of Robertson et al. (1966), the increase in heart rate is in response to the metabolic needs of the exercise, push-ups, in this case, performed. In such cases the increase in heart rate in is positive but the sustained increased heart rate can be dangerous. Thus the application of this study can also be extended to prediction of sudden death in people with underlying heart disease (Jouven et al. 2005). In such persons often the heart rate recovery post-exercise is poor and this can be used as an indication of risk towards sudden death.

Studies of Sandvik et al. (1995) also show that resting heart rate and exercise-induced heart rate are associated with heart mortality. The significance of my study is that pushups as a form of physical exercise can be used to condition the heart rate in persons with underlying heart disease, thereby showing significant improvements in such patients. (Coats et al. 1992). The results of my study were as expected and comparable to the study by Robertson et al. 1966 in showing a marked increase in heart rate and respiratory rate.

The study could be improved by including healthy subjects and those with marked heart disease to extrapolate the findings of this study into predicting sudden death for people with sustained increased heart rate (Jouven, 2005).