Increased Use Of A Pulse Oximeter By Athletes During Exercise

An athlete’s goal is typically to push to the limits of their body’s capacity. Runners desire to run further, while bikers desire to bike faster, and mountain climbers desire to climb to higher elevations. It is extremely important from a physiological point of view to monitor the body’s reaction to this increase in physical activity. In particular, it is of critical importance to monitor the pulse rate and blood oxygen level (SpO2) during this period. SpO2 is the percentage of hemoglobin binding sites in the bloodstream occupied oxygen. Normal SpO2 levels range from 90 to 95 percent and this number can be greatly affected during extreme strenuous exercise. Due to the rise in elevation and lack of oxygen, mountain climbers run the risk of experiencing hypoxia which is a medical term referring to the body lack of adequate oxygen. As a result, athletes have turned to utilizing a portable pulse oximeter to monitor their pulse rate and SpO2 during extreme physical activity.

A pulse oximeter is a small, hand-held medical device that measures the oxygen saturation of a patient’s blood as well a patient’s heart rate. As opposed to measuring oxygen saturation through an invasive procedure such as a blood sample, a pulse oximeter is used as a painless and non-invasive medical instrument. Because of their ease of use, speed, and cost effectiveness, pulse oximeters are the preferred device to measure vital signs during extreme physical activity.

The applications of an oximeter in sports are quite diverse and varied. Many athletes may have medical preconditions including but not limited to respiratory and cardiac problems which must be monitored during exercise. The athlete can simply take a pulse oximeter with them wherever they go and anytime they feel it is necessary to measure their pulse rate or SpO2 levels they simply insert their finger into the oximeter and get accurate readings within seconds. There also exist Wrist Unit Pulse Oximeters which fasten around the wrist of the athlete and thus stay in place during physical activity.  

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About the Author:
High quality, low-cost Pulse Oximeter models from manufacturers like Landon Medical and others can be found at www.PulseOximetersDIRECT.com.
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