– The heart defect was discovered completely by chance during a medical check-up at the beginning of March. I have never felt any problems, says 19-year-old Jone Berg. He was able to play one game for the Viking A team before the tough message came: He cannot continue with top sport. – It is heavy on lead, because you would never have imagined it. You think “finally I’m on the A team, I’m on my way to achieving my dream”. It is of course an incredible shame. – It’s dangerous to do what you love Berg has a diagnosis called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). – A muscle inside the heart is three centimeters too big. That’s a good deal, you might say. You can’t intervene because it’s too risky, he says. Combining HCM and elite series football is practically impossible. Berg tried to prepare as well as possible for a bad message. Photo: Maja Mathisen / news – If I have a maximum heart rate often and push my heart on a daily basis, it can lead to rhythm disturbances and possibly a cardiac arrest. The 19-year-old was admitted to hospital, where several tests were taken. He tried his best to prepare for the worst possible news. – But it’s still incredibly hard to hear it from a doctor who says it to your face: you have to quit. Doing what you love is dangerous. It is not the first time HCM has caused trouble for athletes. In 2012, 23-year-old Bolton player Fabrice Muamba collapsed on the pitch during a match in 2012. He was clinically dead in the 78th minute and received 27 electric shocks before his heart beat again. Muamba was later diagnosed with HCM. What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy? Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the heart muscle is enlarged. Usually, an enlarged heart is the result of an underlying disease, such as a congenital valve defect or high blood pressure. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle thickens without a cause being found. The condition is often hereditary and is caused by defects in genes that control the growth of the heart muscle. When the heart muscle thickens, it gradually becomes stiffer, and the heart muscle’s ability to contract and relax changes. Source: LHL Wants to promote the importance of medical check-ups It is important for Berg to be open about the reason for his retirement. – I want to promote how important it is to have a medical check for athletes. If I had been a junior player for another year and not received that check, it could have gone very wrong. It is important that all athletes are checked before engaging in elite sports, says Berg. Heart specialist and cardiologist Stein Ørn says that guidelines are currently being developed for examination of athletes in Norway. – Cardiac arrest in athletes is rare, but we want to find out if it is possible to reduce the risk of sudden death in athletes. What is important is that if you have symptoms of heart disease or an accumulation of heart disease in the family, you should be examined if you are going to play sports with high physical load. Even if you are at a young age, says Ørn. Heart specialist and cardiologist, Stein Ørn. Photo: Tomine Walmsness / news He explains that there can be disadvantages in doing such medical checks on all athletes. – The challenge is the risk of incorrect assessments. It is therefore important that those who make the assessments have the necessary competence. There is also a significant social cost if large groups of athletes with a low risk of cardiac arrest are to be checked. At the same time, it is important to find those who have an increased risk of cardiac arrest, Ørn explains. Sticking to football Berg emphasizes that he has received incredibly good support from those around him. – I am moved by talking about it, quite simply. Teammates, family, friends, support staff – everyone has pitched in. It has meant an incredible amount. Berg’s plan is to be in the A team for the rest of the year, before he eventually wants to study physiotherapy. – I will miss being part of a team and a group of players. And in many ways I can stick to that in physiotherapy. Published 27/09/2024, at 18.14
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Viking talent Jone Berg (19) has to retire due to heart failure – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
