A recent heat wave in Europe derailed much of the top-seeded men at this year’s French Open. Daily temperatures hovered between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius, which when combined with windless conditions and unrelenting sun beaming down on players spending hours playing at peak intensity, it’s no wonder their performance was severely affected.
Extreme heat waves have become more common all around the world, which is why many sporting organizations have created protocols designed to protect athletes from soaring temperatures. The FIFA World Cup is no exception. The event is projected to be one of the hottest tournaments in its the history, with games spread across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico during the dog days of summer.
In anticipation of high temperatures, FIFA instituted a new mandatory three-minute hydration break midway through both halves of every match. Hydration breaks are typically recommended only when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) exceeds 30 degrees Celsius. Different from the temperature reading on a thermometer, the WBGT factors in more than only air temperature. It also considers humidity, solar radiation and wind speed when determining how the environmental conditions affect the body’s ability to cool itself.
Also used to determine if game day temperatures are contrary to safe play, a WBGT of 32.2 degrees is considered by many sporting organizations as the threshold to postpone games. Some medical experts think the upper limit is too high. There’s a call to revise heat-related cancellations to a WBGT of 28 degrees, especially considering the unique conditions under which athletes play. Many stadiums create a heat dome for players competing on heat-retaining surfaces surrounded by multi-level tiered seating that allows for little air flow and no shade. So even in the absence of steamy humidity, which is factored into the WBGT, temperatures can get hot enough to impair performance.
Jannick Sinner, ranked world No. 1 on the men’s tennis tour, was one game away from winning in the second round of Roland Garros before he started feeling the effects of the heat. Cramping and lethargy lead to a consecutive three-set loss that eliminated him from the tournament. He wasn’t the only one to feel the torrid conditions. Jakub Mensik had to be removed from the court in a wheelchair at the conclusion of his five-set match and Caspar Rudd complained of dizziness and extreme fatigue during his match in the first round of play. All of these situations occurred with a WBGT under the current threshold.
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If some of the world’s best athletes — with a medical team and personalized cooling strategies at their disposal — succumb to the heat, how does the average recreational athlete avoid the energy-sucking, performance-impairing and motivation-killing effects of a hot summer’s day?
The first line of defence is exercising early in the morning, or later in the evening when the sun is cooler. But it’s not always possible to reschedule games, workouts or practices, so it’s best to have a number of cooling strategies planned to keep from getting overheated.
Hydration is key to reducing the risk of heat illness. But more than just drinking enough water to maintain sweat rates, cold liquids in the form of a slushy can help cool core body temperature.
Pre-cooling is also advised. Take a cool shower before you leave the house and wrap a cold towel around your neck until you start exercising. Put ice, wet towels and a spray bottle filled with water into a cooler bag and bring it with you so you can cool off right up to the start of the game/workout and during the game if possible.
Managing the intensity and the length of your workout is also important. Now isn’t the time to get a personal best or push the limits of your endurance. At Roland Garros, the men had a harder time in the heat than the women mainly because of the length of time they spent on the court (men play the best of five sets, women play the best of three). If you must work out, keep it light and short.
Organized events and competitions make it more difficult to manage exercise intensity and duration. Check in prior to the event to see if they have instituted any cooling stations or mandatory breaks in play. Use any timeouts wisely, seeking shade, sipping on water and misting or dousing yourself with cold water. And by all means listen to your body. The first signs of heat stress are heavy sweating, dizziness, elevated heart rate, headaches and muscle cramps. If you experience any of these, start cooling immediately.
Don’t compare your reaction to the heat with those around you. Some people are more sensitive to heat and need more cooling measures, so don’t be shy to request longer or more frequent breaks even if everyone else around you seems to be coping. If symptoms persist despite attempts to cool off, call it quits for the day, making sure you continue your cooling strategies until all symptoms abate. Dealt with early, heat can be managed. Trying to soldier on until your workout or game is over will not only cause your symptoms to escalate and performance deteriorate; heat stroke and unconsciousness will likely follow.