Aspetar, the orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital in Qatar, has used the best of its research facilities to advise athletes on how to ‘beat the heat’ when competing during the upcoming championships and avoid common heat injuries.
This research will be used in the upcoming 17th IAAF World Championships Doha, Qatar 2019, and the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, Tokyo 2020,which will take place in hot and potentially humid environmental conditions.
The ‘beat the heat’ research will also be one of the topics that will be discussed in Aspetar’s upcoming medicine and athletic international conference.
As part of the research, experts tackled essential points for athletes to consider, producing a detailed pack with information on how to maintain body temperatures, the effect of temperatures on performance, preparation steps prior to the championship and the influence of hydration on performance.
To compete in 10,000 m or longer events in the heat, athletes must consider the visible changes the body undergoes in different temperatures, including increased sweat rate, a decreased heart rate, retention of electrolytes and changes in core temperature of the body.
The study recommends that training in conditions that are similar to the upcoming competition is the most effective method to increase performance.
The research will prepare athletes ahead of time by informing them to take simple steps that will positively impact their performance during the summer championships. It shows that the maximal body core temperature when competing in the heat is between 39-41 °C. Athletes reading the study will also benefit from recommendations from accredited researchers and doctors on what ideal drinks to consume before a competition.
After intensive preparations and research studies, Aspetar readies to organise its international conference on Medicine and Science in Athletics which is scheduled to be held from May 3 to 5, 2019, at Aspire Academy. The conference will target medical personnel, such as: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nutritionists and podiatrists.
Registration is now open.
Those interested to attend can register via the www.aspetar.com/events.aspx.
