Athlete's Heart By Robert S McKelvie, MD, PhD, Western University Reviewed / Revised Sep 2022 View Patient Education Symptoms and Signs Diagnosis Prognosis Treatment Key Points Topic Resources Features Distinguishing Athlete's... Athlete's heart is a constellation of structural and functional changes that occur in the heart of people who train for prolonged durations (eg, > 1 hour most days) and / or frequently at high intensities.