Open water swimming is a swimming discipline which takes place in outdoor water such as open oceans, lakes, and rivers. Elite swimmers are exposed to hypothermia when swimming in cold water, especially in long duration races, such as the 25-km race. The objective of this study is to evaluate the change in body core temperature in swimmers with continuous temperature monitoring during a 25-km race. The secondary objective is to identify the predictors of hypothermia and hypothermia-related drop-out.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
24
The 25-km race was the French national Open Championship event and participants were the swimmers registered for the race who volunteered to participate in this study
CHU Caen Normandie
Caen, France
Change in Body Core Temperature
Measurement of Body Core Temperature using an ingestible electronic sensor (e-Celsius®, BodyCap , Caen, France) which provide a continuous validated measurement
Time frame: Continuous measurement was collected from 30 minutes before the race until 2 hours after the end of the race for each swimmer
Change in Water Temperature
Measurement of the Water Temperature using an electronic sensor (iButton® Maxim Integrated) which provide a continuous validated measurement
Time frame: Continuous measurement was collected from 30 minutes before the race until 2 hours after the end of the race for each swimmer
Body composition, body mass
Body mass (in kg) was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (mBCA 525, Seca, Germany).
Time frame: One measurement assessed the day before the race
Body composition, fat mass
Fat mass (in kg, % of body mass \[fat mass and body mass were combined to report % of body mass) was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (mBCA 525, Seca, Germany).
Time frame: One measurement assessed the day before the race
Body composition, fat-free mass
Fat-free mass (in kg, % of body mass \[fat-free mass and body mass were combined to report % of body mass) was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (mBCA 525, Seca, Germany).
Time frame: One measurement assessed the day before the race
Body composition, muscle mass
Muscle mass (in kg, % of body mass \[muscle mass and body mass were combined to report % of body mass) was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis (mBCA 525, Seca, Germany).
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Time frame: One measurement assessed the day before the race
Perception of Cold
Immediately at the end of the race participants' perception of cold was assessed using the Cold Discomfort Scale (CDS, with rating from 0-to-10 over 10, where 0 indicates no experience of cold and 10 indicates unbearable cold)
Time frame: One measurement assessed immediately at the end of the race
Performance
Time at each lap and swimming race timing was collected using the official swimming timing from the race organisers and French Federation
Time frame: Time at each lap of 2500m and at the end of the race
Dropout rate
Swimmers who dropout were identified and cause for dropout was collected
Time frame: During the swimming race and data were collected immediately after dropout for each swimmer who dropped out