Sports Cardiology UK is at Wembley Stadium

We were proud to join the Football Association's faculty at the Cardiology Symposium 2024, hosted at the world-famous Wembley Stadium. The event brought together leading experts in sports cardiology to share knowledge, develop practice, and highlight the latest research, including our findings on cardiac adaptations in adolescent footballers.

Presenting our work in such an iconic venue was a great honour. The growing interest in cardiac health across football is a positive shift, and this symposium reflected the importance of research-informed, athlete-centred care in the sport.

New Research: The Adolescent Footballer’s Heart

Our recent study explored cardiac adaptations in healthy male adolescent footballers, with findings that will help refine screening interpretation and avoid unnecessary concern or misdiagnosis.

Key highlights from our data:

• Right heart sizes: Certain right heart dimensions exceeded standard adult reference ranges in up to 50% of players, underlining the need for age- and sport-specific benchmarks.

• ECG variation with ethnicity: We observed notable differences in ECG patterns across white, black, and mixed white/black footballers, reinforcing the need for ethnically sensitive interpretation.

• Physiological-cardiomyopathy overlap: 2–2.5% of the cohort showed features that overlapped with criteria used to diagnose cardiomyopathy, which highlights the fine line between adaptation and pathology in young athletes.

This research contributes to evolving best practices in cardiac screening and supports more nuanced, data-driven evaluations of elite youth players.

Why Heart Screening Matters in Elite Football

Sudden cardiac events in athletes, though rare, often occur without warning. Footballers face specific cardiovascular stresses because of their high aerobic demands and frequent bursts of exertion. Proper screening helps identify risks before problems arise. At Sports Cardiology UK, we provide specialist screening services tailored to athletes. Our approach combines expert clinical review with a deep understanding of athletic cardiac physiology.

Whether you're a first-team professional or a developing academy player, screening is essential for safeguarding health and enabling peak performance.

For more information on athlete screening or to discuss a research collaboration, email info@sportscardiology.co.uk or visit our contact page.