Necessity of Removing American Football Uniforms From Humans With Hyperthermia Before Cold-Water Immersion
Miller KC, Long BC, Edwards J
Journal of athletic training · 12 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Controlled clinical trial (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2015-12-01 · J Athl Train · vol. 50 · issue 12 · pp. 1240–1246
- Publisher
- National Athletic Trainers' Association
- Cited
- 16 citations · more than 77% of similar papers · 1.1× the field average
- References
- 45 works
- Access
- Free to read
- Research areas
- Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Exercise and Physiological Responses · Infrared Thermography in Medicine
- Keywords
- SOCKS, Heat illness, Medicine, Crew, Football, Physical therapy, Context (archaeology), Crossover study, Aeronautics, Engineering, History
- MeSH
- humans, heat stress disorders, water, body temperature, exercise, cross-over studies, immersion, football, clothing, adult, united states, male, cold temperature, hot temperature, young adult
3 authors
From US
- Kevin Charles MillerCentral Michigan University
- Blaine C. LongCentral Michigan University
- Jeffrey E. EdwardsCentral Michigan University
Abstract
Context
The National Athletic Trainers' Association and the American College of Sports Medicine have recommended removing American football uniforms from athletes with exertional heat stroke before cold-water immersion (CWI) based on the assumption that the uniform impedes rectal temperature (T(rec)) cooling. Few experimental data exist to verify or disprove this assumption and the recommendations.
Objectives
To compare CWI durations, T(rec) cooling rates, thermal sensation, intensity of environmental symptoms, and onset of shivering when hyperthermic participants wore football uniforms during CWI or removed the uniforms immediately before CWI.
Design
Crossover study.
Setting
Laboratory.
Patients or other participants
Eighteen hydrated, physically active men (age = 22 ± 2 years, height = 182.5 ± 6.1 cm, mass = 85.4 ± 13.4 kg, body fat = 11% ± 5%, body surface area = 2.1 ± 0.2 m(2)) volunteered.
Intervention(s)
On 2 days, participants exercised in the heat (approximately 40°C, approximately 40% relative humidity) while wearing a full American football uniform (shoes; crew socks; undergarments; shorts; game pants; undershirt; shoulder pads; jersey; helmet; and padding over the thighs, knees, hips, and tailbone [PADS]) until T(rec) reached 39.5°C. Next, participants immersed themselves in water that was approximately 10°C while wearing either undergarments, shorts, and crew socks (NOpads) or PADS without shoes until Trec reached 38°C.
Main outcome measure(s)
The CWI duration (minutes) and T(rec) cooling rates (°C/min).
Results
Participants had similar exercise times (NOpads = 40.8 ± 4.9 minutes, PADS = 43.2 ± 4.1 minutes; t(17) = 2.0, P = .10), hypohydration levels (NOpads = 1.5% ± 0.3%, PADS = 1.6% ± 0.4%; t(17) = 1.3, P = .22), and thermal-sensation ratings (NOpads = 7.2 ± 0.3, PADS = 7.1 ± 0.5; P > .05) before CWI. The CWI duration (median [interquartile range]; NOpads = 6.0 [5.4] minutes, PADS = 7.3 [9.8] minutes; z = 2.3, P = .01) and T(rec) cooling rates (NOpads = 0.28°C/min ± 0.14°C/min, PADS = 0.21°C/min ± 0.11°C/min; t(17) = 2.2, P = .02) differed between uniform conditions.
Conclusions
Whereas participants cooled faster in NOpads, we still considered the PADS cooling rate to be acceptable (ie, >0.16°C/min). Therefore, if clinicians experience difficulty removing PADS or CWI treatment is delayed, they may immerse fully equipped hyperthermic football players in CWI and maintain acceptable T(rec) cooling rates. Otherwise, PADS should be removed preimmersion to ensure faster body core temperature cooling.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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