Published February 14, 2022 | Version v1
Journal article

Association between thermal responses, medical events, performance, heat acclimation and health status in male and female elite athletes during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships

Others:
ASPETAR Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital [Qatar]
Loughborough University
National University of Singapore (NUS)
University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé (LAMHESS) ; Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS) ; COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université de Toulon (UTLN)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)
Centre d'Investigation Clinique de La Réunion - INSERM (CIC 1410) ; Université de La Réunion (UR)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de La Réunion (CHU La Réunion)
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de La Réunion (CHU La Réunion)
Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité (LIBM ) ; Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) ; Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Étienne] (UJM)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])
University College of London [London] (UCL)
School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences ; Loughborough University
Stellenbosch University
University of Pretoria [South Africa]
Mobilités : Vieillissement, Pathologie, Santé (COMETE) ; Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN) ; Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)
GIP Cyceron (Cyceron) ; Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN) ; Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-CHU Caen ; Normandie Université (NU)-Tumorothèque de Caen Basse-Normandie (TCBN)-Tumorothèque de Caen Basse-Normandie (TCBN)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Qatar University
Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)

Citation

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Description

Purpose To determine associations between thermal responses, medical events, performance, heat acclimation and health status during a World Athletics Championships in hot-humid conditions. Methods From 305 marathon and race-walk starters, 83 completed a preparticipation questionnaire on health and acclimation. Core (T core ; ingestible pill) and skin (T skin ; thermal camera) temperatures were measured in-competition in 56 and 107 athletes, respectively. 70 in-race medical events were analysed retrospectively. Performance (% personal best) and did not finish (DNF) were extracted from official results. Results Peak T core during competition reached 39.6°C±0.6°C (maximum 41.1°C). T skin decreased from 32.2°C±1.3°C to 31.0°C±1.4°C during the races (p<0.001). T core was not related to DNF (25% of starters) or medical events (p≥0.150), whereas T skin , T skin rate of decrease and T core -to-T skin gradient were (p≤0.029). A third of the athletes reported symptoms in the 10 days preceding the event, mainly insomnia, diarrhoea and stomach pain, with diarrhoea (9% of athletes) increasing the risk of in-race medical events (71% vs 17%, p<0.001). Athletes (63%) who performed 5–30 days heat acclimation before the competition: ranked better (18±13 vs 28±13, p=0.009), displayed a lower peak T core (39.4°C±0.4°C vs 39.8°C±0.7°C, p=0.044) and larger in-race decrease in T skin (−1.4°C±1.0°C vs −0.9°C±1.2°C, p=0.060), than non-acclimated athletes. Although not significant, they also showed lower DNF (19% vs 30%, p=0.273) and medical events (19% vs 32%, p=0.179). Conclusion T skin , T skin rate of decrease and T core -to-T skin gradient were important indicators of heat tolerance. While heat-acclimated athletes ranked better, recent diarrhoea represented a significant risk factor for DNF and in-race medical events.

Abstract

International audience

Additional details

Created:
December 3, 2022
Modified:
November 30, 2023