sports medicine cq3; environmental conditions (climatic conditions)

Question 1

What are the climatic conditions that can enforce adverse effects on performance?

Answer 1

• Temperature
• Wind
• Rain
• Humidity
• Altitude
• Pollution

Question 2

What is temperature?

Answer 2

The measure of hotness or coldness expressed in terms of degrees celsius.

Question 3

Why is temperature an issue for performance?

Answer 3

Temperature can affect an athlete’s ability to thermoregulate.

Question 4

What are the implications of high temperature?

Answer 4

If temperature is high it reduces metabolism and can be unsafe as the athlete is at greater risk of hyperthermia, dehydration and heat stress or heat stroke as the heat and UV radiation will increase internal temperature.

Question 5

How can high temperature lead to dehydration?

Answer 5

Due to high temperature there would be increased need for evaporation and production of sweat, hence reducing water levels.

Question 6

What are the implications of cold weather?

Answer 6

Cold weather can lead to hypothermia.

Question 7

Which sports are mainly affected by temperature?

Answer 7

Outdoor summer sports such as beach volleyball or cricket.

Question 8

How can you manage high temperature? (cricket)

Answer 8

A cricket player must remain hydrated and abide by guidelines for fluid intake and drink water regularly throughout the day.
They should also wear light, long sleeve clothing and a hat as most of the body’s water is needed for the brain.
Reducing heat stress to the brain will enhance concentration and arousal, allowing for focus to play.

Question 9

How can you manage cold temperature?

Answer 9

In order to avoid hypothermia in cold temperature snowboarders wear protective, padded boots and clothing to insulate their bodies, reducing skin exposure to cold air which will lower rates of convection and heat loss, maintaining body warmth necessary for optimal performance.

Allowing for the conservation of energy within the muscles, keeping them warm and less prone to stiffness and injury.

Question 10

What is humidity?

Answer 10

Humidity refers to the climatic condition in which there is hot temperature with a larger amount of water vapor in the air.

Question 11

What are the implications of humidity?

Answer 11

Humidity limits the body’s ability to lose heat via evaporation and players often feel excessively hot, lethargic and sweaty.

Question 12

What is the management of humidity?

Answer 12

Athletes should rehydrate frequently and avoid wearing layers of clothing as it will promote sweating which will NOT be evaporated due to less sun exposure.

Question 13

Example for management of humidity?

Answer 13

A tennis player should only wear one layer, a light cotton t-shirt to allow sweat to be removed.
Hence, reducing the risk of heat stress or hyperthermia.

Question 14

How can wind detriment performance?

Answer 14

Wind can detriment performance and safety through wind chill and visibility issues.
Exercising in cold conditions with a strong cold wind blowing will increase the convection of body heat and lead to wind chill, this is increasingly worse when wet and can lead to hypothermia.

Question 15

What is the management for wind?

Answer 15

For wind chill;
Wetsuits for surfing and full-body ski suits with large goggles and balaclavas to reduce the burning skin sensation.

For visibility issues;
Due to the potential for sticks and dirt getting into the eyes, cyclists use protective sunglasses.

Question 16

What are the implications of rain on performance?

Answer 16

• Visibility issues
• Slippery surfaces
• Increased humidity levels

Question 17

What is management for rain?

Answer 17

Netballers when playing on slippery surfaces can apply hairspray to the bottom of their shoes to increase traction.
Track sprinters can wear specialised footwear with spikes allowing them to grip the surface and prevent slipping.

Question 18

Which other climatic condition paired with rain can be highly dangerous?

Answer 18

Strong cold winds as there is a greater risk of hypothermia.

Question 19

What are the implications of high altitude?

Answer 19

High altitude can affect an athletes ability to obtain oxygen and supply it to the working muscles, this is due to the decreased concentration of oxygen at altitudes beyond 1500m above sea level.

*3-5% reduction in aerobic capacity for every 300m above 1500m.

Question 20

What is management for high altitudes?

Answer 20

Athletes must acclimate to these conditions with at least 4 weeks prior to competition.

Question 21

What is the case study for high altitude?

Answer 21

UK sprinter, Mo Farah applied acclimatisation before the London Olympic games
Neil Black (UK Athletics performance director) stated, “Mo will do everything he possibly can to prepare for London, That’s where he gets lots of his belief from.”

Question 22

What are the implications of pollution?

Answer 22

Pollution affects an athlete’s visibility and ability to breathe while exercising as pollution increases airway resistance causing irritation to the upper respiratory tract, reducing oxygen transport capacity of the blood.

Question 23

Which medical condition is pollution most detrimental to?

Answer 23

Asthma

Question 24

What is the most dangerous pollutant?

Answer 24

Carbon Monoxide which binds to haemoglobin reducing oxygen intake.

Question 25

What is management for pollution?

Answer 25

• Avoid cigarette smoking,
• Avoid exercising in rush hours in cities
• Trying not to exercise when humidity, temperature and traffic pollution levels are high

Question 26

What is the case study for pollution?

Answer 26

Australian athletes had to acclimate with the high levels of pollution prior to the Beijing Olympics, allowing for optimal performance against Beijing athletes.