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Research Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2690-8816/168
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biosciences, Federal University Wukari, Wukari, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author: Chinedu Imo, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biosciences, Federal University Wukari, Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria.
Citation: Chinedu Imo, Augustine Nicholas Ernest, (2025), Effect of Exercise on Blood Oxygen Saturation Level and Pulse Rate in Some Sportsmen/Women in Wukari, Nigeria, J Clinical Research Notes, 6(3); DOI:10.31579/2690-8816/168
Copyright: © 2025, Chinedu Imo. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Received: 24 March 2025 | Accepted: 03 April 2025 | Published: 09 April 2025
Keywords: blood oxygen saturation; hypoxemia; physical exercise; pulse; respiratory failure
In some situations, such as during and after exercise, assessing people's blood oxygen saturation level and pulse rate is crucial to assessing their general health. Assessing blood oxygen saturation levels aids in determining whether a patient is hypoxic. Low oxygen levels could cause cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of moderate exercise on levels of blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate in some sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria. A total of fifty-two (52) sportsmen and women who play badminton/volleyball were used for this study. They were aged 14 to 55 years. A Pulse Fingertip Oximeter was used for the determination of the level of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate before and after moderate exercise in the 52 sportsmen/women (badminton/volleyball players) in Wukari, Nigeria. The result showed that the average level of blood oxygen saturation in the sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria was 95% before exercise and 94% after exercise, while the average pulse rate was 78 bpm before the exercise and 106 bpm after exercise. There was an average decrease of 1(%) and an average percentage change of 1.05% in the level of blood oxygen saturation after exercise in the sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria, while there was an average increase of 28(bpm) and an average percentage change of 35.90% in the pulse rate of the sportsmen/women after the exercise. Only 10(19.23%) out of the 52 sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria had low SpO2 levels before the exercise, while 18(34.61%) had low SpO2 levels after the exercise. Only 2(3.85%) sportsmen had low pulse rates before exercise, while none had low pulse rates after the exercise. None of the sportsmen/women had high pulse rate before the exercise, but 8(15.38%) had high pulse rates after the exercise. This study concluded that the sportsmen/women evaluated had a normal average blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) level and pulse rate before engaging in the exercise. Thereafter, the exercise caused a slight decrease of 1.05% in the average level of blood oxygen saturation and an average increase of 35.90% in the pulse rate of the sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria.
Since their invention in the 1970s, pulse oximeters have become essential for measuring blood oxygen levels in hospital wards, operating rooms, high-dependency and critical care units, and emergency departments. The safe surgery movement has promoted pulse oximeters [1]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they gained attention for their ability to detect hypoxemia or low blood oxygen levels, even in patients at home [2]. Normal blood oxygen levels vary by altitude and are part of a continuum. For all age groups, the standard arterial blood oxygen saturation at sea level is generally believed to be 94% or higher (partial pressure of oxygen ~75–100 mm Hg). Typical arterial blood oxygen saturation in the 5th centile is roughly 92–96% at sea level and roughly 88–92% at 2500 m above sea level, according to data from healthy child and adult populations [3]. According to Jiang et al. [4], blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is a crucial metric for tracking patients with acute and long-term illnesses linked to low blood oxygen levels, such as heart failure, pneumonia, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
To track oxygen saturation, pulse oximetry technology uses the difference in light absorption between oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin. Compared to the more invasive arterial blood gas measurement method, which calls for skilled personnel and specialized analysis equipment, this technology is thought to be a trustworthy substitute. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pulse oximetry gained prominence in two ways. Home monitoring of oxygen saturation has become a crucial part of COVID-19 recovery at home because, first, COVID-19 infection can cause oxygen desaturations, which may not be noticeable for people at home early in the infection [5] or may necessitate new oxygen supplementation at hospital discharge [6,7]. Second, people with chronic respiratory conditions were depending more and more on at-home monitoring, including pulse oximetry, as a result of the shift to more telemedicine visits during the pandemic [8]. Lung disease is therefore increasingly being treated at home, either as a result of COVID-19 infection or because of the COVID-19 pandemic's limited in-person evaluations [9].
The most crucial tactics for preventing, protecting against, treating, and promoting health are physical activity and exercise. Exercise increases physical fitness which can have a variety of positive health effects. While people who are more physically active seem to have lower rates of all-cause mortality, the most significant risk factor for non-communicable diseases is insufficient physical activity. Physical activity is a broad term that includes graded weight-bearing exercises, aerobic and anaerobic exercises, play, sports, and leisure activities. By decreasing blood pressure, improving insulin sensitivity, decreasing obesity, increasing fibrolysis, improving lipid profiles, and improving parasympathetic autonomic tone, daily moderate exercise lowers cardiovascular risk. Physical exercise encompasses a wide variety of activities that promote health and wellness. Many people believe that exercise is only necessary to maintain or improve fitness. Exercise is defined as organized, planned activities that preserve or improve one or more aspects of physical fitness. A wide variety of activities that enhance health and well-being are included in physical activity. Exercise is often associated with simply maintaining or improving fitness [10].
Frequent exercise has significant health advantages. At any age or stage, one can begin engaging in physical activity and reap its benefits. For the majority of people, the advantages of physical activity far outweigh any possible risks, such as accidents, should they arise. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and engaging in physical activity throughout the day are easy ways to reach the recommended level of activity [11]. Numerous studies have demonstrated the important role that regular physical activity plays in managing and preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, and colon cancer. Additionally, it aids in the prevention of osteoporosis, obesity, and hypertension. Any kind of physical activity enhances general well-being, quality of life, and mental health [12]. While the pulse rate indicates how well the heart is functioning, the SpO2 level assessment indicates how saturated the red blood cells are with oxygen. Physicians and nurses can use these indices to get a sense of how a patient is being treated. Determining whether someone requires additional oxygen may also be aided by their oxygen level. Before starting some activities that call for this assessment, like physical exercise, most people do not take the time to check their SpO2 level and pulse rate to see how fit they are. Additionally, most athletes do not measure their pulse rate and SpO2 level after participating in specific sports to assess their level of fitness and decide whether to continue or not. This is because performing specific physical activities with a very high pulse rate and a very low SpO2 level beforehand may be harmful to one's health and result in major complications. Without testing, people might not be aware of their pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation level, or whether they are fit or not. Information about the blood oxygen saturation level and pulse rate of athletes in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria, after physical activity is scarce. This justifies the investigation into the current study.
Study Location and Population
This current study was conducted in November, 2024 at the “Sports Recreation Centre”, Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria. A total of fifty-two (52) sportsmen and women who play badminton/volleyball were used for this study. They were aged 14 to 55 years.
Equipment/Apparatus Used
A Pulse Fingertip Oximeter was used for the determination of the level of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate before and after exercise in the 52 sportsmen/women (badminton/volleyball players) in Wukari, Nigeria.
Determination of Blood Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) Level and Pulse Rate
Each of the badminton/volleyball players was tested with the Pulse Fingertip Oximeter. After arriving at the sporting centre, each player was allowed to rest for about 5 mins. While the player was in a stable position, his/her finger was cleaned, and the oximeter was clipped on the middle finger of his/her right hand and turned on. The result of SpO2 level and pulse rate was displayed on the screen. A stable reading observed about 1 min on the display-screen was recorded as the initial result (result before exercise). After the initial testing, the players engaged in a moderate to strenuous game involving a set of matches (badminton/volleyball). Immediately after the exercise, each of the players was allowed to sit in a resting position for about 1 minute before being tested again for the final SpO2 level and pulse rate. The final result was recorded as result after exercise.
Result Computation
From the results of SpO2 level and pulse rate before and after exercise, average levels of blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate before and after exercise, average changes in levels of blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate after exercise, and the number and percentage of sportsmen/women with abnormal blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) level and pulse rate before/after exercise in Wukari, Nigeria were computed.
Results
The results are presented in the figures and table below:
Figure 1: Average Levels of Blood Oxygen Saturation and Pulse Rate Before and After Exercise in Some Sportsmen/Women in Wukari, Nigeria
Figure 1 showed the average level of blood oxygen saturation in some sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria to be 95
Figure 2: Average Changes in Levels of Blood Oxygen Saturation and Pulse Rate After Exercise in Some Sportsmen/Women in Wukari, Nigeria
Figure 2 showed there was an average decrease of 1(%) and an average percentage change of 1.05% in the level of blood oxygen saturation after exercise in some sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria, while there was an average increase of 28(bpm) and an average percentage change of 35.90% in the pulse rate of the sportsmen/women after the exercise.
| Number of Individuals | Percentage of Individuals (%) | |
| Number of individuals with low SpO2 level before exercise | 10.00 | 19.23 |
| Number of individuals with low SpO2 level after exercise | 18.00 | 34.61 |
| Number of individuals with low pulse rate before exercise | 2.00 | 3.85 |
| Number of individuals with low pulse rate after exercise | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Number of individuals with high pulse rate before exercise | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Number of individuals with high pulse rate after exercise | 8.00 | 15.38 |
Table 1: Number and Percentage of Sportsmen/Women with Abnormal Blood Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) level and Pulse Rate Before/After Exercise in Wukari, Nigeria
Table 1 showed that 10 (19.23%) out of the 52 sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria had low SpO2 level before exercise, while 18 (34.61%) had low SpO2 level after the exercise. Only 2 (3.85%) sportsmen had low pulse rate before exercise, while none had low pulse rate after the exercise. None of the sportsmen/women had high pulse rate before the exercise, but 8 (15.38%) had high pulse rate after the exercise.
Assessment of blood oxygen saturation level and pulse rate is essential in determining the good health status of an individual under certain conditions such as during and after exercise. Detecting blood oxygen saturation levels helps to know if a patient is experiencing hypoxia. This is because it is possible to have a condition in which a patient appears and feels normal but has dangerously low SpO2 [13]. It is also important during critical health conditions that may warrant oxygen administration or cardiovascular-related ill conditions. In this current study, the result (Figure 1) showed that the average level of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the sportsmen/women who play badminton/volleyball in Wukari, Nigeria was 95
The findings of the study showed that the average level of blood oxygen saturation of the sportsmen/women in Wukari, Nigeria was 95
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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