Taking heart rate variability to the next level in sports: towards a multi-signal integration

Paper Details

Authors: Bourdillon N.; Millet G.P.

DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2026.1720495

Journal: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

Year: 2026

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Document Type: Article

Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access

Cited by: 0

Abstract

Heart rate variability (HRV) is most often used as a standalone, without integration of complementary data. Yet these data are at our fingertips, and a revolution might be just around the corner. This perspective article gives insight on how integrating accelerometery and continuous blood pressure and extracting ventilatory variables may improve the use of HRV, taking it to a whole new level for elite and recreational sports, assessing fatigue, and intensity domains. Also, the use of mass data could lead to seamless measurements as precise and relevant as in elite sports, which could be made available to the public for health assessment and follow-up. © 2026 Bourdillon and Millet.

Keywords

accelerometer; baroreflex; fatigue; heart rate variability; photoplethysmography; respiratory sinus arrythmia

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