title: Heat stroke risk for open-water swimmers during long-distance events.
abstract: Open-water swimming is a rapidly growing sport discipline worldwide, and clinical problems associated with long-distance swimming are now better recognized and managed more effectively. The most prevalent medical risk associated with an open-water swimming event is hypothermia; therefore, the Federation Internationale De Natation (FINA) has instituted 2 rules to reduce this occurrence related to the minimum water temperature and the time taken to complete the race. Another medical risk that is relevant to open-water swimmers is heat stroke, a condition that can easily go unnoticed. The purpose of this review is to shed light on this physiological phenomenon by examining the physiological response of swimmers during long-distance events, to define a maximum water temperature limit for competitions. We conclude that competing in water temperatures exceeding 33°C should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biology and Clinical Neurology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: filippo.macaluso@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Macaluso
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: Ashwin W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Isaacs
authors.forename: Felicia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morici
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Felice
mesh_terms: D018883:Heat Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D005082:Physical Exertion; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013550:Swimming; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: body composition; body temperature; skin temperature; swimming; triathlon; water sport