Medical evaluation, electrocardiographic analysis, and exercise testing of elite women distance runners.

Sixteen elite women runners and 14 good women runners underwent medical history and physical examinations. Resting ECGs were recorded in all and exercise ECGs in 28 of the 30 (two were injured). Women in both groups combined endurance with supplemental strength and flexibility workouts. They also tended to avoid potentially harmful substances such as excess dietary saturated fats, cigarettes, and alcohol. Their cardiac examinations were not unlike those of elite male runners. Several differences from the male runners were noted on both the resting and exercise ECGs.