New University of Guelph research examining whether runners’ hearts function more efficiently than those of other athletes was featured on CBC Radio Kitchener’s Morning Edition.

Prof. Jamie Burr from U of G’s Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences explained to the radio station why runners’ hearts do a better job of moving blood using the analogy of wringing out a dishcloth.

He said the knowledge gained from his team’s research could aid health-care professionals making decisions about how to prescribe exercise for different cardiovascular diseases.

He added that although the study’s findings suggest that running is better than swimming for building heart efficiency, all cardiovascular exercise is beneficial.

Burr’s research was published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology. He next hopes to study the differences in heart function over the course of  different forms of training to see how the heart adapts.