Mood, Illness and Injury Responses and Recovery with Adventure Racing

Anglem, Nat; Lucas, Samuel J. E.; Rose, Edward A.; Cotter, James D.

doi:10.1580/07-weme-or-091.1

Cited by 39 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Adventure racing is a combination of two or more endurance disciplines such as orienteering, navigation, cross-country running, mountain biking, paddling, climbing, and related rope skills. Individuals participating in adventure racing experience significant physical and psychological stress during these competitions, which sometimes result in both significant injury and in mood-state disruption [13]. In this study we examine elite adventure racers who are non-military elite performers and who are often exposed to extreme environments [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subjecting Elite Athletes to Inspiratory Breathing Load Reveals Behavioral and Neural Signatures of Optimal Performers in Extreme Environments

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundIt is unclear whether and how elite athletes process physiological or psychological challenges differently than healthy comparison subjects. In general, individuals optimize exercise level as it relates to differences between expected and experienced exertion, which can be conceptualized as a body prediction error. The process of computing a body prediction error involves the insular cortex, which is important for interoception, i.e. the sense of the physiological condition of the body. Thus, optimal performance may be related to efficient minimization of the body prediction error. We examined the hypothesis that elite athletes, compared to control subjects, show attenuated insular cortex activation during an aversive interoceptive challenge.Methodology/Principal FindingsElite adventure racers (n = 10) and healthy volunteers (n = 11) performed a continuous performance task with varying degrees of a non-hypercapnic breathing load while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. The results indicate that (1) non-hypercapnic inspiratory breathing load is an aversive experience associated with a profound activation of a distributed set of brain areas including bilateral insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulated; (2) adventure racers relative to comparison subjects show greater accuracy on the continuous performance task during the aversive interoceptive condition; and (3) adventure racers show an attenuated right insula cortex response during and following the aversive interoceptive condition of non-hypercapnic inspiratory breathing load.Conclusions/SignificanceThese findings support the hypothesis that elite athletes during an aversive interoceptive condition show better performance and an attenuated insular cortex activation during the aversive experience. Interestingly, differential modulation of the right insular cortex has been found previously in elite military personnel and appears to be emerging as an important brain system for optimal performance in extreme environments.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subjecting Elite Athletes to Inspiratory Breathing Load Reveals Behavioral and Neural Signatures of Optimal Performers in Extreme Environments

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However it must be noted that the daily amount of energy consumed by MS/RF was considerably greater compared to the slower finishers associated with the present study. It remains clear that for athletes competing in an adventure race, the large degree of body mass lost is typically a combined result of limited food availability, increased energy expenditure, sleep deprivation, dehydration and unavoidably low atmospheric oxygen pressure [1-18]. It is important to address that the percentage contribution of macronutrients to daily energy intake data is of little importance without the knowledge of the daily energy intake.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unlike the Race Across America and the Southern Traverse Adventure Race in New Zealand where athletes are accompanied by a support vehicle or, alternatively, had a team of researchers present at each transition, this was not the case for the South Pole Challenge [6,18]. Transport was limited by the availability of fuel for the ‘Arctic Trucks’.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A case study evaluation of competitors undertaking an antarctic ultra-endurance event: nutrition, hydration and body composition variables

Paulin

Roberts

et al. 2015

Extrem Physiol Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundThe nutritional demands of ultra-endurance racing are well documented. However, the relationship between nutritional consumption and performance measures are less obvious for athletes competing in Polar conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate dietary intake, hydration status, body composition and performance times throughout an 800-km Antarctic race.MethodsThe event organisers declared that 17 competitors would participate in the South Pole race. Of the 17 competitors, pre-race data were collected from 13 participants (12 males and 1 female (M ± SD): age: 40.1 ± 8.9 years; weight: 83.9 ± 10.3 kg; and body fat percentage: 21.9 ± 3.8%). Dietary recall, body composition and urinary osmolarity were assessed pre-race, midway checkpoint and end race. Data were compared on the basis of fast finishers (the Norwegian team (n = 3) who won in a record of 14 days) and slower finishers (the remaining teams (n = 10) reaching the South Pole between 22 and 28 days).ResultsThe percentage contribution of macronutrients to daily energy intake for all participants was as follows: carbohydrate (CHO) = 23.7% (221 ± 82 g.day−1), fat = 60.6% (251 ± 127 g.day−1) and protein = 15.7% (117 ± 52 g.day−1). Energy demands were closer met by faster finishers compared to slower finishers (5,332 ± 469 vs. 3,048 ± 1,140 kcal.day−1, p = 0.02). Average reduction in body mass throughout the race was 8.3 ± 5.5 kg, with an average loss of lean mass of 2.0 ± 4.1 kg. There was a significant negative correlation between changes in lean mass and protein intake (p = 0.03), and lean mass and energy intake (p = 0.03). End-race urinary osmolarity was significantly elevated for faster finishers compared to slower finishers and control volunteers (faster finishers: 933 ± 157 mOsmol.L−1; slower finishers: 543 ± 92 mOsmol.L−1; control: 515 ± 165 mOsmol.L−1, p = 0.04).ConclusionsThroughout the race, both groups were subjected to a negative change in energy balance which partly explained reduced body mass. Carbohydrate availability was limited inferring a greater reliance on fat and protein metabolism. Consequently, loss in fat-free mass was more prevalent with insufficient protein and caloric intake, which may relate to performance.

show abstract

“…For example, it was found that participation in extreme endurance exercise of prolonged duration, such as an ultra-marathon, can lead to reduction in systolic function [4] and might adversely affect mucosal immunity and cause significant changes in the concentration of leukocyte sub-sets [5]. Participation in adventure racing (which can last up-to ~ 100 hours) can cause symptomatic injury and illness and mood state disruption, which generally resolves within a fortnight following racing [6]. It is also known that orthopaedic injuries, hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, fatigue, acute mountain sickness and sunburn can occur during sporting activities that take place in snow environments, such as for example skiing and snow-boarding [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health challenges in long-distance dog sled racing: A systematic review of literature

Calogiuri

Weydahl

2017

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Long-distance dog sled races, e.g. Iditarod (Alaska) and Finnmarksløpet (Northern Norway), are extremely demanding sporting events that might expose mushers, handlers and a large number of organisers and volunteers to risks for their health. The purpose of this systematic literature review (PROSPERO registration n. CRD42017069136) was to identify and summarise all available scientific literature relative to health issues connected to participating in these races. Using a literature search strategy in line with PRISMA guidelines, 117 scientific studies, sought through databases (Google Scholar and PubMed, between 2nd and 9th May 2017) and scrutiny of reference lists, were screened. Studies published in English treating any health issues assessed during or after a long-distance dog sled race were included, with no restriction in relation to their study design or the characteristics of participants studied. The quality of the studies was assessed using a standardised checklist. Ten studies met the criteria for being included in a qualitative analysis. The data synthesis showed that participants underwent strenuous psychophysical load, with insufficient sleep/rest and inadequate energy intake. Findings on hydrations are mixed. The risk of incurring in life-threatening injuries or infections was low, although injuries and infections of minor severity were common. No alterations of blood markers were observed from before to after the races. These findings will help planning prevention and treatment strategies in long-distance dog sled races. However, more research is needed in this field in the future.

show abstract

Mood, Illness and Injury Responses and Recovery with Adventure Racing

Cited by 39 publications

References 36 publications

Subjecting Elite Athletes to Inspiratory Breathing Load Reveals Behavioral and Neural Signatures of Optimal Performers in Extreme Environments

Subjecting Elite Athletes to Inspiratory Breathing Load Reveals Behavioral and Neural Signatures of Optimal Performers in Extreme Environments

A case study evaluation of competitors undertaking an antarctic ultra-endurance event: nutrition, hydration and body composition variables

Health challenges in long-distance dog sled racing: A systematic review of literature

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About