PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF NEURAL AND KINEMATIC PARAMETERS OF FORWARD AND BACKWARD WALKING ACROSS DIFFERENT INCLINES

The purpose of this study was to identify whether the motor pattern of forward walking (FW) and backward walking (BW) affects the neural control and kinematics of lower limbs. A 21-camera 3D motion analysis system was used for the examination of locomotion. The activation of seven muscles of the right leg was recorded. The motion analysis was performed during FW and BW on a treadmill with the subjects (n=15) walking at four different inclines. The primary analysis of the complexity of variability of the kinematics and neural data was assessed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The complexity of gait pattern during FW appears more varied than during BW across all inclines. The associated muscles with each component were different during FW and BW

the use of technology to protect the health of athletes during sporting competitions in the heat

During the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Doha and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, minimum daily temperatures are expected to be in excess of 30 C. Due to the metabolic demands of the sporting events and the high environmental temperatures, the risk of exertional heat illness (EHI) is significantly higher. Careful planning is needed to ensure that athletes are protected from irreversible long-term health damage, or even death. The greatest benefit to exercise performance is gained after about 2 weeks of heat acclimation. For maximal adaptations to occur, the heat acclimation regime undertaken should closely mimic the environmental and intensity characteristics of the conditions expected during competition. Other acute strategies are available to enhance performance in the heat including the ingestion of cold (~4 C) beverages and the use of iced towels and ice garments; these acute strategies do not replace the need for heat acclimation. The importance of responding quickly to a hyperthermic athlete cannot be understated, as minimizing treatment time will greatly improve the chances of a full recovery. Treatment time can be minimized by notifying medical personnel about the athlete's health status and the extent of any pre-competition heat acclimation strategy. Technology that allows the live transmission of physiological, performance, and biomechanical data to alert medical personnel of potential indicators of EHI should be considered. Prompt recognition of EHI will result in faster and more effective medical treatment which is crucial in protecting the athlete from irreversible and long-term health consequences, including death

Ethical dilemmas and validity issues related to the use of new cooling technologies and early recognition of exertional heat illness in sport

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is expected to be among the hottest Games in modern history, increasing the chances for exertional heat stroke (EHS) incidence, especially in non-acclimatised athletes/workers/spectators. The urgent need to recognise EHS symptoms to protect all attendees'' health has considerably accelerated research examining the most effective cooling strategies and the development of wearable cooling technology and real-time temperature monitoring. While these technological advances will aid the early identification of EHS cases, there are several potential ethical considerations for governing bodies and sports organisers. For example, the impact of recently developed cooling wearables on health and performance is unknown. Concerning improving athletic performance in a hot environment, there is uncertainty about this technology''s availability to all athletes. Furthermore, the real potential to obtain real-time core temperature data will oblige medical teams to make crucial decisions around their athletes continuing their competitions or withdraw. Therefore, the aim of this review is (1) to summarise the practical applications of the most novel cooling strategies/technologies for both safety (of athletes, spectators and workers) and performance purposes, and (2) to inform of the opportunities offered by recent technological developments for the early recognition and diagnosis of EHS. These opportunities are presented alongside several ethical dilemmas that require sports governing bodies to react by regulating the validity of recent technologies and their availability to all

Recommendations for Face Coverings While Exercising During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In an effort to reduce transmission and number of infections of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) virus, governments and official bodies around the world have produced guidelines on the use of face masks and face coverings. While there is a growing body of recommendations for healthcare professionals and the wider population to use facial protection in “enclosed spaces” where minimal distancing from other individuals is not possible, there is a dearth of clear guidelines for individuals undertaking exercise and sporting activity. The present viewpoint aims to propose recommendations for face coverings while exercising during the COVID-19 pandemic that consider physical distancing, the environment, the density of active cases associated with the specific sports activity, and the practical use of face coverings in order to reduce potential viral transmission. Recommendations are provided on the basis of very limited available evidence in conjunction with the extensive collective clinical experience of the authors and acknowledging the need to consider the likelihood of the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 in the general population. We recommend that face coverings should be used in any environment considered to be of a high or moderate transmission risk, where tolerated and after individual risk assessment. In addition, as national caseloads fluctuate, individual sporting bodies should consider up to date guidance on the use of face coverings during sport and exercise, alongside other preventative measures

Commentaries on viewpoint : physiology and fast marathons

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