Single Session Intermittent Heat Exposure With More Frequent and Shorter Cooling Breaks Facilitates Greater Training Intensity and Elicits Physiological Responses Comparable to Continuous Heat Exposure.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of shorter, more frequent rest breaks with per-cooling as an alternative heat-acclimation session on physiological, perceptual, and self-paced maximal cycling performance, compared with continuous heat exposure.

Methods: Thirteen participants completed 1 continuous and 3 intermittent-heat-exposure (IHE) maximal self-paced cycling protocols in a random order in heat (36 °C, 80% relative humidity): 1 × 60-minute exercise (CON), 3 × 20-minute exercise with 7.5-minute rest between sets (IHE-20), 4 × 15-minute exercise with 5-minute rest between sets (IHE-15), and 6 × 10-minute exercise with 3-minute rest between sets (IHE-10).

Living in Western Australia induces some physiological adaptations of seasonal acclimatisation in the surgical burns team.

Seasonal acclimatization is known to result in adaptations that can improve heat tolerance. Staff who operate on burn injuries are exposed to thermally stressful conditions and seasonal acclimatization may improve their thermoeffector responses during surgery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the physiological and perceptual responses of staff who operate on burn injuries during summer and winter, to determine whether they become acclimatized to the heated operating theater.

A seasonal comparison of a 14-day swing on cognitive function and psycho-physiological responses in mine service workers.

This study assessed the effect of season on cognitive function and psycho-physiological responses during a 14-day swing in mine-service workers. Cognitive function, thermal sensation and comfort, rating of perceived exertion, fatigue, hydration, core temperature and heart rate were assessed throughout a shift, on three separate days over a swing. Working memory and processing efficiency did not differ between seasons (p > 0.

Symptoms of heat illness and water consumption habits in mine industry workers over the summer months in Australia.

Mine industry workers (n=515) from various locations in Australia completed a questionnaire to assess the prevalence of symptoms associated with heat-related illness and water consumption habits during a summer season. Participants read from a pre-defined list and noted any heat-related symptoms that they had experienced. The most prevalent symptoms experienced were fatigue, headache, sweating, and dark coloured urine, with 77% of respondents reporting at least one symptom.

Seasonal influence on cognitive and psycho-physiological responses to a single 11-h day of work in outdoor mine industry workers.

This study investigated the seasonal effects that working outdoors had on various parameters in mining industry workers over the course of a work-shift. Workers ( = 27) were assessed in summer (33.3 ± 4.

Comparing thermal strain in outdoor maintenance and indoor service workers in the mining industry during summer.

While working in the heat is a common practice within the Australian mining industry, it can lead to adverse effects on cognitive function, productivity, and physical health. This study aimed to compare the thermal strain experienced by maintenance workers and service workers in the mining industry during summer. Psycho-physiological parameters, manual dexterity, and cognitive function were assessed in maintenance workers (n = 12) and service workers (n = 12) employed at mine site villages in north-west Australia.

Impact of living and working in the heat on cognitive and psycho-physiological responses in outdoor fly-in fly-out tradesmen: a mining industry study.

This study aimed to evaluate complex cognitive function, manual dexterity and psycho-physiological parameters in tradesmen working outdoors in the mining industry during summer and winter. Twenty-six males working in a mining village in the north-west of Australia were assessed pre- and post-an 11-h shift at the start, middle, and end of a 14-day swing in summer (average daily temperature: 33.9°C, 38% RH; = 12) and winter (24.

Higher operating theatre temperature during burn surgery increases physiological heat strain, subjective workload, and fatigue of surgical staff.

Raising the ambient temperature of the operating theatre is common practice during burn surgeries to maintain the patient's core body temperature; however, the effects of operating in the heat on cognitive performance, manual dexterity, and perceived workload of surgical staff have not been assessed in a real-world context. Therefore, the aim was to assess the real-time impact of heat during burn surgeries on staff's cognitive function, manual dexterity, and perceptual measures (workload, thermal sensation, thermal comfort, perceived exertion, and fatigue) and physiological parameters (core temperature, heart-rate, fluid loss, and dehydration). Ten burn surgery staff members were assessed in CON (24.

Ice Ingestion Maintains Cognitive Performance during a Repeated Sprint Performance in The Heat.

This study investigated the effects of precooling via crushed ice ingestion on cognitive performance during repeated-sprint cycling in the heat. Nine males, non-heat acclimatised to heat (mean age: 28.2 ± 2.

Food and fluid intake and hydration status does not affect ultrasound measurements of subcutaneous adipose tissue in active adults.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of acute food and fluid intake or hydration status on the standardised brightness-mode ultrasound measurement of subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness.

Design: Thirty active adults (female n = 10) participated in a randomised cross over study.

Methods: Participants completed three body composition assessment sessions via standardised brightness-mode ultrasound and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

A Combination of Ice Ingestion and Head Cooling Enhances Cognitive Performance during Endurance Exercise in the Heat.

This study assessed the effectiveness of head cooling during exercise in the heat on cognitive performance, either alone or with ice ingestion. Ten healthy males, non-acclimatized to heat, ran (70% V̇Opeak) for 2×30 min in heat (35 ± 0.9°C, 68.

Measures of body composition via Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, ultrasound and skinfolds are not impacted by the menstrual cycle in active eumenorrheic females.

Objectives: (1) Compare changes in body composition estimates over the menstrual cycle in active females using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, standardised brightness-mode ultrasound and skinfolds (2) Compare the predictability of Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry fat mass estimate via standardised brightness-mode ultrasound versus skinfolds measurements.

Design: Thirty active females (27 ± 5 y) with regularly occurring menstrual cycles participated in a cross sectional study.

Methods: Participants completed four assessment sessions scheduled according to each individual's menstrual cycle.

Head Cooling Prior to Exercise in the Heat Does Not Improve Cognitive Performance.

This study investigated the effectiveness of head cooling on cognitive performance after 30 min and 60 min of running in the heat. Ten moderately-trained, non-heat-acclimated, male endurance athletes (mean age: 22 ± 6.6 y; height: 1.

Strength Training Improves Exercise Economy in Triathletes During a Simulated Triathlon.

Purpose: The completion of concurrent strength and endurance training can improve exercise economy in cyclists and runners; however, the efficacy of strength training (ST) implementation to improve economy in long-distance (LD) triathletes has not yet been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate physiological outcomes in LD triathletes when ST was completed concurrently to endurance training.

Methods: A total of 25 LD triathletes were randomly assigned to either 26 weeks of concurrent endurance and ST (n = 14) or endurance training only (n = 11).

Body composition assessment in athletes: Comparison of a novel ultrasound technique to traditional skinfold measures and criterion DXA measure.

Objectives: This investigation compared ultrasound and skinfolds as measures of body fat for athletes, relative to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Design: Fifty-six well-trained athletes from various sports participated in a cross-sectional study.

Methods: The participants attended one testing session, where total body fat mass was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and subcutaneous adipose tissue was measured using brightness-mode ultrasound and skinfolds with callipers.

Physical Demands of Elite Women's Ultimate Frisbee Between Halves and Across Matches in an International Tournament.

Palmer, JA, Landers, G, Buttfield, A, and Polglaze, T. Physical demands of elite women's Ultimate Frisbee between halves and across matches in an international tournament. J Strength Cond Res 36(3): 838-844, 2022-To quantify the physical match demands of elite women's Ultimate Frisbee across a tournament, elite female Ultimate players (N = 9) from the Australian Under 24 Women's team wore global positioning system units in all 12 matches of the 2018 Under 24 World Championship competition.

Physical and perceptual cooling: Improving cognitive function, mood disturbance and time to fatigue in the heat.

This study investigated the effects of menthol swilling and crushed ice ingestion on cognitive function, total mood disturbance (TMD), and time to fatigue (TTF). Twelve male long-distance runners completed three counterbalanced running trials (3 × 30 minutes at 65% VO and a TTF run at 100% VO ) in hot, humid conditions (35.3 ± 0.

Enhanced Decision Making and Working Memory During Exercise in the Heat With Crushed Ice Ingestion.

Purpose: To examine the effects of precooling via crushed ice ingestion on cognitive function during exercise in the heat.

Methods: Eleven active men ingested either 7 g·kg-1 of crushed ice (ICE) or thermoneutral water (CON) 30 minutes before running 90 minutes on a treadmill at a velocity equivalent to 65% VO2peak in hot and humid conditions (35.0°C [0.

Hand and torso pre-cooling does not enhance subsequent high-intensity cycling or cognitive performance in heat.

The purpose of this study was to compare the separate and combined effects of two practical cooling methods (hand and torso) used prior to exercise on subsequent high-intensity cycling performance in heat. Ten trained male cyclists (V̇Opeak: 65.7 ± 10.

Internal precooling decreases forehead and core temperature but does not alter choice reaction time during steady state exercise in hot, humid conditions.

This study aimed to determine if precooling via crushed ice ingestion reduces forehead skin temperature (T) and core temperature (T) during exercise in the heat and whether it has an effect on choice reaction time (CRT). Ten males commenced a 30 min precooling period, ingesting either 7 g kg of crushed ice (ICE) or room temperature water (CON) prior to cycling 60 min at 55% V̇O in hot, humid conditions (35.0 ± 0.

Influence of Electronic Devices on Sleep and Cognitive Performance During Athlete Training Camps.

Jones, MJ, Dawson, B, Eastwood, PR, Halson, SL, Miller, J, Murray, K, Dunican, IC, Landers, GJ, and Peeling, P. Influence of electronic devices on sleep and cognitive performance during athlete training camps. J Strength Cond Res 35(6): 1620-1627, 2021-This study investigated the effects of removing athletes' electronic devices in the evening on sleep and performance during training camps.