Volume 34, Issue 5 (8-2026)
JSSU 2026, 34(5): 10206-10222 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Hormati Oughoulbaig A H, Siahkouhian M, Asadi A, Farzizadeh R. Effects of Different Exercise Modalities on Cardiac Function in Women with an Emphasis on Advanced Imaging Techniques (Echocardiography): A Review Study. JSSU 2026; 34 (5) :10206-10222
URL: http://jssu.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-6648-en.html
URL: http://jssu.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-6648-en.html
Abstract: (18 Views)
Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases continue to be a major cause of mortality among women, and regular physical activity is widely considered one of the most effective non-pharmacological strategies for maintaining cardiovascular health. However, the structural and functional cardiac responses to various forms of exercise may differ between women and men owing to physiological, hormonal, body composition, and health-status differences. In recent years, advanced imaging modalities, including speckle-tracking echocardiography, three-dimensional echocardiography, cardiac stress testing, and other novel approaches to assessing cardiac function, have enabled more precise evaluation of structural and functional cardiac changes. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to systematically review published research on the effects of different types of exercise on cardiac function in women, with particular emphasis on findings derived from advanced imaging techniques.
Methods: This study was conducted as a systematic review. Articles published between 2020 and 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Islamic World Science Citation Database (ISC) using specialized keywords related to exercise training, cardiac function, women, and advanced imaging methods. Following the removal of duplicate records and the screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, eligible studies were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria comprised a focus on women, the application of advanced imaging methods for the assessment of cardiac function, presentation of valid quantitative data, and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed using the standard Downs and Black checklist.
Results: A total of 16 eligible studies were included in the review. The findings showed that, in most studies, aerobic and endurance training were associated in most studies with improved myocardial strain, increased peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak), enhanced systolic and diastolic cardiac function, and greater functional cardiac capacity. Differences related to sex, age, body composition, blood pressure status, and individual physiological conditions were also observed in the magnitude of training responses. Some studies further suggested that exercise type, intensity, and duration may influence the extent of cardiac adaptations. Moreover, advanced imaging methods, particularly speckle-tracking echocardiography, were shown to be more sensitive than conventional approaches in detecting subtle functional changes, including alterations in myocardial strain, and therefore played an important role in the accurate assessment of exercise-induced cardiac adaptations.
Conclusion: Available evidence indicates that regular exercise training, especially aerobic and endurance exercise, exerts beneficial effects on cardiac function in women; however, the magnitude of these responses is influenced by individual characteristics, health status, body composition, and the type of training program. Advanced imaging modalities can contribute substantially to the precise detection of functional cardiac changes, the design of personalized exercise programs, and the improvement of cardiovascular prevention and care strategies in women. Future well-designed studies with standardized designs and larger sample populations may further clarify sex-specific cardiac responses to different forms of exercise training.
Keywords: Speckle-tracking echocardiography, women's cardiac function, exercise training, stress testing, myocardial strain
Methods: This study was conducted as a systematic review. Articles published between 2020 and 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Islamic World Science Citation Database (ISC) using specialized keywords related to exercise training, cardiac function, women, and advanced imaging methods. Following the removal of duplicate records and the screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, eligible studies were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria comprised a focus on women, the application of advanced imaging methods for the assessment of cardiac function, presentation of valid quantitative data, and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The methodological quality of the selected studies was assessed using the standard Downs and Black checklist.
Results: A total of 16 eligible studies were included in the review. The findings showed that, in most studies, aerobic and endurance training were associated in most studies with improved myocardial strain, increased peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak), enhanced systolic and diastolic cardiac function, and greater functional cardiac capacity. Differences related to sex, age, body composition, blood pressure status, and individual physiological conditions were also observed in the magnitude of training responses. Some studies further suggested that exercise type, intensity, and duration may influence the extent of cardiac adaptations. Moreover, advanced imaging methods, particularly speckle-tracking echocardiography, were shown to be more sensitive than conventional approaches in detecting subtle functional changes, including alterations in myocardial strain, and therefore played an important role in the accurate assessment of exercise-induced cardiac adaptations.
Conclusion: Available evidence indicates that regular exercise training, especially aerobic and endurance exercise, exerts beneficial effects on cardiac function in women; however, the magnitude of these responses is influenced by individual characteristics, health status, body composition, and the type of training program. Advanced imaging modalities can contribute substantially to the precise detection of functional cardiac changes, the design of personalized exercise programs, and the improvement of cardiovascular prevention and care strategies in women. Future well-designed studies with standardized designs and larger sample populations may further clarify sex-specific cardiac responses to different forms of exercise training.
Keywords: Speckle-tracking echocardiography, women's cardiac function, exercise training, stress testing, myocardial strain
Keywords: Speckle-tracking echocardiography, women's cardiac function, exercise training, stress testing, myocardial strain.
Type of Study: Review article |
Subject:
Exercise Physiology
Received: 2026/02/19 | Accepted: 2026/05/6 | Published: 2026/08/6
Received: 2026/02/19 | Accepted: 2026/05/6 | Published: 2026/08/6
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
