Otsuki Takeshi, Suwabe Kazuya, Yoshikawa Toru, Kotani Kiwamu, Zempo-Miyaki Asako
Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Ryutsu Keizai University, Ryugasaki, Japan.
Front Physiol. 2025 Apr 16;16:1568972. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1568972. eCollection 2025.
Nailfold capillary patterns can be observed noninvasively using light microscopy. Nailfold capillaries are straight, U-shaped, and densely looped in healthy individuals and may be altered by disease or lifestyle factors, such as diet. However, the effects of daily physical activity and exercise training on nailfold capillary patterns remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of exercise training on nailfold capillary patterns by investigating these patterns in endurance athletes, ballgame athletes, and sedentary healthy men.
Five healthy men participated in nailfold capillary pattern measurements on three consecutive days to test the reproducibility and bilateral differences in the nailfold capillary loop density, length, and width measured using light microscopy and a commercial analysis system. The nailfold capillaries of 10 endurance athletes (endurance group; eight long-distance runners and two triathletes), 10 ballgame athletes (ballgame group; seven soccer players and three basketball players), and nine sedentary healthy men (sedentary group) were then examined using light microscopy.
The day-to-day coefficient of variation for the nailfold capillary loop density, length, and width were 4.9% ± 1.6%, 7.5% ± 1.3%, and 4.2% ± 1.5%, respectively. No significant differences in these measurements were observed between the dominant and non-dominant hands. Nailfold capillary density was greater in the ballgame group than in the endurance and sedentary groups. Capillary loop length was shorter in the ballgame group than in the endurance and sedentary groups. No significant differences in capillary loop density and length were observed between the endurance and sedentary groups. No significant intergroup differences were observed in capillary loop width.
These results suggest that the nailfold capillary patterns of male ballgame athletes differ from those of endurance athletes and sedentary healthy men. Ballgame training may affect nailfold capillary patterns in sedentary healthy men.
使用光学显微镜可以无创地观察甲襞毛细血管形态。在健康个体中，甲襞毛细血管呈直线形、U形且紧密盘绕，并且可能会因疾病或生活方式因素（如饮食）而改变。然而，日常身体活动和运动训练对甲襞毛细血管形态的影响仍不清楚。本研究旨在通过调查耐力运动员、球类运动员和久坐不动的健康男性的甲襞毛细血管形态，来检验运动训练对甲襞毛细血管形态的影响。
五名健康男性连续三天参与甲襞毛细血管形态测量，以测试使用光学显微镜和商业分析系统测量的甲襞毛细血管袢密度、长度和宽度的可重复性及双侧差异。然后，使用光学显微镜检查了10名耐力运动员（耐力组；8名长跑运动员和2名铁人三项运动员）、10名球类运动员（球类组；7名足球运动员和3名篮球运动员）和9名久坐不动的健康男性（久坐组）的甲襞毛细血管。
甲襞毛细血管袢密度、长度和宽度的每日变异系数分别为4.9%±1.6%、7.5%±1.3%和4.2%±1.5%。优势手和非优势手之间在这些测量值上未观察到显著差异。球类组的甲襞毛细血管密度高于耐力组和久坐组。球类组的毛细血管袢长度短于耐力组和久坐组。耐力组和久坐组之间在毛细血管袢密度和长度上未观察到显著差异。在毛细血管袢宽度上未观察到显著的组间差异。
这些结果表明，男性球类运动员的甲襞毛细血管形态与耐力运动员和久坐不动的健康男性不同。球类运动训练可能会影响久坐不动的健康男性的甲襞毛细血管形态。
