Forecasting feels-like temperatures as a strategy to reduce heat illnesses during sport events

Many athletes, amateur and professional alike, compete in and train for outdoor running events every year, and even more participate in outdoor sports in general. Many major sport events such as the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and World Championships take place in summer and mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, athletes are often at risk of sustaining heat illnesses during heat extremes, which are exacerbated by climate change.1 Heat illnesses describe a group of pathologies ranging from relatively minor to very severe symptoms such as potentially fatal exertional heat stroke.2 3 The risk for heat illnesses increases with high air temperature, high solar radiation, high humidity, low wind speed and strenuous exercise requiring continuous muscle work.4 There are different strategies to prepare athletes for exercising in the heat, and thus reduce the risk for heat illnesses including acclimatisation, acclimation, hydration...
Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine - Category: Sports Medicine Authors: Tags: BJSM Editorial Source Type: research