Practicing Sport in Cold Environments: Practical Recommendations to Improve Sport Performance and Reduce Negative Health Outcomes

Gatterer, Hannes; Dünnwald, Tobias; Turner, Rachel; Csapo, Robert; Schobersberger, Wolfgang; Burtscher, Martin; Faulhaber, Martin; Kennedy, Michael D.

doi:10.3390/ijerph18189700

Cited by 22 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 155 publications

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“…While the knee is the most injured body part in snowsports, with ACL ruptures as the most common type of injury,11 26 27 it has been suggested that increased muscle temperature and the resulting increase in muscle activation may be preventative, as ACL injuries occur during the first 50 ms of early impact 25 27 28. As cold ambient temperatures are known to significantly decrease muscle temperature and the rate of force development,29 a combination of active and passive methods is recommended for athletes performing at subzero temperatures 1 8 30…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Before hitting the slopes: athlete and staff perspectives on warm-up and activation in high-performance snowsports

Beck,

Bekker,

Verhagen

et al. 2024

BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med

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To explore warm-up and activation (W&A) practices in high-performance snowsports to describe their importance, application and potential improvements based on the perspectives of elite-level athletes and staff members. Qualitative study consisting of semistructured interviews with 13 international elite-level athletes, on-snow coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, sports physiotherapists and sports psychologists from different snowsports and subdisciplines: alpine skiing, freestyle skiing (park and pipe, aerials, moguls) and snowboarding (park and pipe, snowboard cross). The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed based on the principles of grounded theory. The main themes raised by the participants were (1) the importance of readiness for sports participation as the motive for W&A, (2) how readiness is reached with a structured W&A routine and (3) the different athlete-specific, task-specific and environmental-specific factors for optimal W&A. Athletes and staff members considered W&A an essential measure to get physically and mentally ready for sports participation. Being ready was described as a key factor for performance and injury prevention. For these athletes, adherence to W&A was the result of a process of experiencing the beneficial effects of W&A and learning from sustaining one or more injuries. Broad implementation of basic physical and mental W&A at the youth level was considered an important measure to increase the overall adoption of W&A as an inherent part of training and competition. At the elite level, W&A is performed to reach athletes’ mental and physical readiness for performance enhancement and injury prevention. W&A is acknowledged as a complex and dynamic programme and is typically adapted to sport-specific demands, injury risks, environmental circumstances and individual needs and preferences. Overall, this study provides valuable contextual insights into the complexity of W&A and the factors that need to be considered to make sport-specific recommendations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Before hitting the slopes: athlete and staff perspectives on warm-up and activation in high-performance snowsports

Beck,

Bekker,

Verhagen

et al. 2024

BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Skiers are most exposed to the cold during competition when thinly dressed in race suits and thin base layers to optimize aerodynamics and obtain good freedom of movement during dynamic skiing. However, it is of course important to select the right type of material and number of base layers according to the weather conditions, balancing needs for sweat evaporation and insulation, as described by Gatterer et al 29 Unlike the competition, training sessions provide the individual a greater opportunity to make their own conscious choices on how to avoid the impact of severe cold on the body and airways. The participants described that they were usually good at adapting and changing planned training in the event of severe cold.…”

Section: Experiences Of Training and Competition In Low Temperaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elite skiers' experiences of heat‐ and moisture‐exchanging devices and training and competition in the cold: A qualitative survey

Jong,

Hanstock,

Stenfors

et al. 2023

Health Science Reports

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Background and AimsWinter endurance athletes have a high prevalence of exercise‐induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) and asthma, probably due to repeated and prolonged inhalation of cold and dry air. Heat‐ and moisture‐exchanging devices (HME) warm and humidify inhaled air and prevent EIB. The aim of this study was to share cross‐country skiers and biathletes' experiences of training and competition in low temperatures, views on temperature limits, usage of HME, and consequences of cold exposure on their health.MethodsEleven Swedish World Championship or Olympic medalists in cross‐country skiing and biathlon were interviewed and transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsParticipants described how cold temperatures predominantly affected the airways, face, and extremities. During training, extreme cold was managed by choosing warmer clothing, modification of planned sessions, use of HME, delaying training, or changing location. In competition, participants described limited possibility for such choices and would prefer adjustment of existing rules (i.e., more conservative temperature limits), especially since they understood elite skiing in low temperatures to present an occupational hazard to their health. Participants had at times used HMEs during training in cold environments but described mixed motives for their use—that HMEs warm and humidify cold inhaled air but introduce additional resistance to breathing and can cause problems due to mucus and ice build‐up. Skiers also perceived that they had become more sensitive to cold during the latter part of their careers.ConclusionsThe present study gives a unique insight into the “cold” reality of being an elite athlete in skiing and biathlon. Cold exposure results in negative health consequences that are preventable, which means that rules must be followed, and organizers should acknowledge responsibility in protecting athletes from occupational hazards. Development of evidence‐based guidelines for protection of athletes' respiratory health should be a focus for future translational research.

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“…39 The evidence in the literature is conflicting, with some studies stating no benefit to staying in the water longer, with a significant increase in risk as the body temperature falls. 40,41 Another study found significant changes in blood markers, and consequent theorized effects of these changes only occurred after a significant period of immersion. 42 Our data did not align with the time periods indicated in these studies (10 minutes or fewer or more than an hour), instead suggesting a period of more than 15 minutes in winter, or 30 minutes in summer, to be the most effective length of time to spend in the water with the goal of reducing mental health symptoms.…”

Section: Psychological Symptoms Caused By Menstruation and Perimenopausementioning

confidence: 99%

How do women feel cold water swimming affects their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms?

Pound,

Massey,

Roseneil

et al. 2024

Post Reprod Health

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Objective This study aimed to determine how women felt cold water swimming affected their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms. Study design An online survey that asked women who regularly swim in cold water about their experiences. The survey was advertised for 2 months on social media. Questions related to cold water swimming habits and menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms were analysed. Main outcome measures Quantitative and qualitative data including; frequency of menstrual and menopause symptoms, the effect of cold water swimming on these symptoms. Results 1114 women completed the survey. Women reported that cold water swimming reduced their menstrual symptoms, notably psychological symptoms such as anxiety (46.7%), mood swings (37.7%) and irritability (37.6%). Perimenopausal women reported a significant improvement in anxiety (46.9%), mood swings (34.5%), low mood (31.1%) and hot flushes (30.3%). The majority of women with symptoms swam specifically to reduce these symptoms (56.4% for period and 63.3% for perimenopause symptoms). Women said they felt it was the physical and mental effects of the cold water that helped their symptoms. For the free text question, five themes were identified: the calming and mood-boosting effect of the water, companionship and community, period improvements, an improvement in hot flushes and an overall health improvement. Conclusion Women felt that cold water swimming had a positive overall effect on menstrual and perimenopause symptoms. Studies on other forms of exercise to relieve menstrual and perimenopause symptoms may show similar findings.

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Practicing Sport in Cold Environments: Practical Recommendations to Improve Sport Performance and Reduce Negative Health Outcomes

Cited by 22 publications

References 155 publications

Before hitting the slopes: athlete and staff perspectives on warm-up and activation in high-performance snowsports

Before hitting the slopes: athlete and staff perspectives on warm-up and activation in high-performance snowsports

Elite skiers' experiences of heat‐ and moisture‐exchanging devices and training and competition in the cold: A qualitative survey

How do women feel cold water swimming affects their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms?

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