Environmental factors in exercise and sports performance

Preparing for competition requires physical and mental training, proper nutrition, and recovery. It is also essential to understand your competition and how each athlete fits within the team dynamics. These factors, for the most part, are all factors that can be controlled. Then there are factors such as the temperature, allergens, pollution and altitude that cannot be controlled and can have serious effects on human performance.

Environmental factors such as temperature during competition can hinder performance if not taken seriously. The average body temperature is 37°C (98.6°F). In cool and warm weather, wearing the appropriate gear to be able to perform at a high level is necessary. For example, when playing soccer during the month of November in Canada, there is a good chance it will be cold. To reduce the risk of injury and poor performance, athletes have to do a proper warm up, wear the appropriate clothing and stay properly hydrated. In very hot and or humid temperatures, hydrating becomes extremely important. For athletes, cooling off using wet sponges, and wearing breathable clothing can minimize overheating.

Athletes with allergies or those who have respiratory issues can see a decrease in performance due to environmental factors such as high pollen count or poor air quality. Understanding the air quality and pollen count of the competition and training venues is important as this can enable athletes to limit their exposure by training when the counts are low, or taking the proper precautions during mandatory field times.

High altitude can create disadvantages for athletes who are not acclimatized to the higher elevation. For endurance athletes, high altitude can create limitations to training due to their inability to train as intensely as they would at sea level. At such high elevations, the air is thinner, meaning that there is less oxygen. There is also the likelihood of loss of appetite, which could lead to weight loss and compromised recovery times.

Environmental factors, if not anticipated, can give rise to:

• Dehydration, heat stroke, hyperthermia and frostbite due to changes in temperature 
• Difficulty breathing in places with high pollen counts and poor air quality.
• Altitude sickness, weight loss, loss of appetite at high altitude.

Regardless of the environmental factors, and unless told otherwise, most athletes will train and compete under most conditions. One factor to help mitigate poor performance is acclimatization. Getting your athletes used to the environmental conditions they will compete in can be advantageous since they can adapt to the conditions and as such, these conditions will not be a surprise to the athletes. Both the player and coaching staff have to understand and prepare for the adverse environmental factors that might hinder an athlete’s ability to perform at peak shape. Having a proper plan to anticipate environmental conditions is an advantage to the athletes and team performance. Though many environmental factors cannot be controlled, doing your homework beforehand can help limit the potentially negative effect on performance. Having proper equipment and gear, acclimatizing to the conditions by training in comparable conditions, and understanding how the environment will effect the athletes provide a crucial advantage to athletes hoping to compete at their best.

References from the SIRC Collection:

1. Borresen J. Environmental considerations for athletic performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. International Sportmed Journal. June 2008;9(2):44-55. 
2.  Igor R, Vladimir I, Milos M, Goran B. New tendencies in the application of altitude training in sport preparation. Journal Of Physical Education & Sport / Citius Altius Fortius. June 2011;11(2):200-204. 
3. Lane A, Terry P, Stevens M, Barney S, Dinsdale S. Mood responses to athletic performance in extreme environments. Journal Of Sports Sciences. October 2004;22(10):886-897. 
4. Nimmo M. The application of research to athletic performance in the cold. International Sportmed Journal. December 2005;6(4):224-235. 
5. Moss D. Training & Competing in Smoggy Conditions. Tricks Of The Trade For Middle Distance, Distance & Cross-Country Running. June 2004;:71-75. 
6. Rundell K. Effect of air pollution on athlete health and performance. British Journal Of Sports Medicine. May 2012;46(6):407-412. 7. 
Singh R. Hydration strategies for exercise performance in hot environment. British Journal Of Sports Medicine. September 2, 2010;44:i40. 
8. Wilber R. Current trends in altitude training. / Les tendances actuelles de l'entrainement en altitude. Sports Medicine. 2001;31(4):249-265.

Stay Healthy, Save Money and the Environment - Bike to Work

Incorporating cycling into your work week will keep you strong and healthy, save you money and gives the added bonus of being easy on the environment. Environment week in Canada (June 3-6) is coming up soon and we would like to encourage all of you to get on your bikes and ride to work that week!

We all know that cycling has many benefits that include improved muscle tone, increased stamina and reduced stress, but did you realize just how much cycling to work can help save you money? If you currently drive your car to work every day, getting on your bike could help you:

• Save up to $50 a week on gas 
• Eliminate parking fees 
• Lower cost tune-ups for bike and vehicle 
• Lower your car insurance rates 

Even if you commute only a handful of times, it's better than none at all because:

• Cycling uses no fuel 
• Bicycles take a lot less energy to make a than a car 
• Bikes don't require toxic batteries or motor oil 
• Cycling significantly reduces transportation emissions and traffic congestion

If you’re still uncomfortable with the idea of riding to work, recruit a friend to ride with you or go for a dry run on the weekend to map out your route to get an estimation of how much time it will take. If you live too far from work, commute for a portion of your trip and keep your bike at a public transportation stop.

Commuting by bike is first and foremost supposed to be fun! There are many reasons people start cycling to work but it’s the daily enjoyment that keep people getting on their bikes day after day.

If you would like more information on cycling to work, check out the included links and resources from the SIRC collection.

References from the SIRC Collection

1. Dewey A. Why Your Business Should be Bicycle Friendly. American Bicyclist [serial online]. July 2009;:9.

Hamilton A. Take heart and bike to work. Cycling Weekly [serial online]. March 2012;:41.

2. Hawkins K. Bikes: The "Green" Machines that are Moving Vancouver toward Sustainability. Bicycle Paper [serial online]. August 2011;40(6):1-8.

3. Panter J, Jones A. Attitudes and the Environment as Determinants of Active Travel in Adults: What Do and Don't We Know?. Journal Of Physical Activity & Health [serial online]. July 2010;7(4):551-561.

4. Shephard R. Is Active Commuting the Answer to Population Health?. Sports Medicine [serial online].

5. Stuart P. Turn your commute into a training ride. Cycling Weekly [serial online]. January 19, 2012;:42-45

The Art of Waxing

Seeing as it’s the end of November, some areas of Canada have already seen snow, while others are one big snow storm away. If you are thinking of taking up cross country skiing, now is a good time to start thinking about preparing for the ski season before the trails are calling your name. As Cross Country Canada says, cross-country skiing is easy to learn and its benefits for health and wellness are unmatched.

If you walk into any ski shop, the sheer number of colourful wax tins may be enough to create some confusion. Getting your skis ready for the season does include the need to grasp the art of waxing but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. However, the sooner you learn that the type of wax you use on your skis can make or break your ski day, the better off you will be.

There are basically two types of ski wax: grip and glide. The grip wax goes on what is called the kick zone of classic cross-country skis, while glide wax goes on the rest of the classic ski, on the entire length of skate skis (as on downhill skis and snowboards). The selection of waxes is influenced by some or all of the following:

• The outside temperature
• Type of snow – new, dry, wet, old
• The snow and air temperature
• The relative humidity: high (over 75%), normal (55%-75%), low (below 55%)
• The structure of the snow: old, coarse, icy, dirty, new or fine granule
• The distance to be skied
• The technique used: free (skating) or classical (diagonal stride)

There is no doubt that ski waxing is not a science, but an art. You’d be well advised to attend a ski waxing clinic or refer to the many ski waxing guides that are available to insure you get it right the first time you hit the trails.

For more information on cross country skiing, please visit SIRC.

"Playing for a Greener Future"!

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Qatar Olympic Committee (QNOC), hosted the 9th World Conference on Sport and the Environment this week in Doha, Qatar. Joining the hosts were over 650 participants representing National Olympic Committees (NOC), international federations (IF), the Olympic Games organizing committees of London 2012, Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 and future Games candidate cities, who all raised their voices in a concerted effort to reiterate everyone’s concern with regards to the degradation of the world’s environment. Under the theme of “Playing for a Greener Future”, the Conference assessed the environmental success stories of the Olympic Movement; reflected on future challenges; and explored new opportunities of mainstreaming the environment in the world of sport.

While all participants reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable development, three principal focus areas known as the “Doha Declaration” emerged from the Conference, as the framework for activities related to the three pillars of sustainable development:

1. Economic
2. Social
3. Environment

Part of the plan for a greener future is to engage the youth, recognizing that young people play such an important role in society and in promoting sustainable development. To inspire young people around the world to participate in sports and adopt and live by the Olympic ideals, the IOC established the Youth Olympic Games (the inaugural Games held in Singapore in 2010). To continue on that vein, the conference partners will:

1. promote the involvement of young athletes in future World Conferences and continental seminars on Sport and Environment;
2. develop and support educational programs for young people on environment and sustainable development;
3. raise awareness of young people on sustainable development issues and to spread the Olympic ideals in their local communities through sports;
4. promote and support initiatives that engage the youth, particularly in under privileged communities, in sustainable development activities.

Contact SIRC for more information on sport and the environment!