The National Center for Biotechnology Information conducted a study on spinal cord injury athletes’ thermoregulatory responses when participating in intermittent activity. They also investigated the environmental conditions in which these athletes with spinal cord injuries play.
Here are three things to know:
1. The study found athletes with tetraplegia experience an increase in core body temperature in an average sports hall temperature of 20 degrees Celsius when participating in intermittent sprint wheelchair exercise.
2. Those athletes with paraplegia experienced a plateau of core body temperature in the same conditions.
3. The researchers noted the two spinal cord injury groups of patients — those with tetraplegia versus those with paraplegia — experienced different thermoregulatory responses because of the discrepancy in their heat-loss capacity.
The researchers also studied the efficacy of cooling methods for athletes with spinal cord injuries. They examined the impact of water spraying during breaks and applying ice vests before exercise.
Here are three things to know:
4. The study found athletes applying ice vests and water spraying during breaks in play decreased their core body temperature more effectively than if they did not apply pre-cooling or only did pre-cooling.
5. Pre-cooling with an ice vest only resulted in a lower increase in core body temperature in an hour of exercise, compared to no-cooling.
6. The researchers recommend further investigation into cooling methods for spinal cord injury athletes is warranted.
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