Thermoregulatory adaptations following an intermittent post exercise sauna bathing intervention are partially sustained after 2 weeks decay in trained middle distance runners.

Rex, Abigail (2024). Thermoregulatory adaptations following an intermittent post exercise sauna bathing intervention are partially sustained after 2 weeks decay in trained middle distance runners. University of Birmingham. M.Res.

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Abstract

This study investigated the decay of heat acclimation (HA) adaptations across a two-week period of continued training with no HA stimulus, following three-weeks post-exercise sauna bathing. The subsidiary aim was to investigate whether we could repeat findings our laboratory has previously published (Kirby et al, 2020; 2012), and confirm that post-exercise sauna bathing across three-weeks can effectively heat acclimate endurance athletes. Nineteen trained endurance athletes (mean ± SD, age 20 ± 1 years, V̇O2max (60.0 ± 6.0 mL⋅kg−1⋅min−1) performed a running heat tolerance test (30 min, 9 km⋅h−1/2% gradient, 40 °C/40%RH; HTT) pre, post 3-weeks of normal exercise training plus 30-min post-exercise sauna bathing (85–94 °C) 3 ± 1 times per week, and post 5-weeks after normal exercise only. Following post-exercise sauna bathing resting core body temperature (0.23 ± 0.06°C, p < 0.01), peak core body temperature (0.26 ± 0.07°C, p = 0.004), end mean skin temperature (0.90 ± 0.13°C, p < 0.001), resting heart rate (HR) (7 ± 2 bpm, p = 0.42) and peak HR (6 ± 2 bpm, p = 0.002) decreased before and during the HTT. Perceptual measures including RPE, thermal sensation and thermal comfort, and sweat losses showed no significant changes (p > 0.05), however. Peak core body temperature (0.17 ± 0.06°C, p = 0.035) was partially retained 2-weeks post HA, along with a partial retainment of end skin temperature and HR (although not significant (p > 0.05)). Resting and peak core body temperature and peak skin temperature had a lower decay rate than resting and peak HR (20%, 30%, 24% and 44% and 50% decay rate, respectively). Three-weeks post-exercise sauna bathing is an effective and pragmatic method of HA that sustains some HA adaptations for two-weeks.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Res.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Res.

Supervisor(s):