Fluid balance, thermal stress, and post exercise response in women's Islamic athletic clothing.

This study examined heat stress, heart rate (HR), fluid balance, micro-environment temperature and humidity with Islamic athletic clothing (IC) compared to traditional soccer uniform (SC). Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), session RPE (S-RPE), comfort, and cooling response were also examined. Female volunteers (N = 8) completed a treadmill [Formula: see text] test and then, in a randomized, counter-balanced order, two intermittent running bouts (45 min total) in a hot environment (30.0°C WBGT) in IC and SC. Thereafter, participants sat for 40 min in the hot ambient environment. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significantly greater micro-environment temperature (p = 0.02) (IC 33.3 ± 3.2°C, SC 32.0 ± 2.8°C) and humidity (p = 0.04) (IC 48.4 ± 8.1%, SC 42.9 ± 7.9%) in IC during the exercise trial but no difference in the 40-min recovery period for micro-environment temperature (p = 0.25) or humidity (p = 0.18). No significant difference (p > 0.05) was shown for core temperature (T (rec)) (IC 38.3 ± 0.4°C, SC 38.2 ± 0.4°C), HR (IC l54 ± 28 beats min(-1), SC 151 ± 26 beats min(-1)) or RPE (IC 4.7 ± 2.1, SC 3.8 ± 1.7) during the exercise trial or recovery period. Results from a paired t test revealed a significantly greater (p < 0.05) S-RPE (IC 5.8 ± 1.2, SC 4.3 ± 1.9), sweat loss (IC 1.4 ± 0.4 L h(-1), SC 1.2 ± 0.4 L h(-1)) and greater discomfort during the exercise and recovery period for the IC. IC clothing appears to have no detrimental effects on heat storage or heat strain during exercise or recovery.

Effect of gender on fatigue and recovery following maximal intensity repeated sprint performance.

AIM: This study investigated the effects of gender on repeated, maximal-intensity intermittent sprint exercise following variable day-to-day recovery periods. METHODS: Sixteen volunteers (8 men, 8 women) performed four trials of high-intensity intermittent sprint exercise consisting of three bouts of eight 30 m sprints (total of 24 sprints). Following completion of the baseline trial, in repeated-measures design, participants were assigned, in counter-balanced order, variable recovery periods of 24, 48, and 72 h whereupon they repeated an identical exercise trial. RESULTS: Results from a series of 4 (trial) x 3 (bout) repeated measures ANOVAs revealed men produced significantly (P < 0.01) faster times throughout all bouts and trials of repeated sprint exercise. Additionally, women exhibited significantly lower (P < 0.05) blood lactate concentration and significantly lower (P < 0.05) decrement in performance, indicating increased resistance to fatigue during repeated exercise sessions. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between genders for heart rate or rating of perceived exertion during or following trials. There were no significant differences for overall sprint performance within either gender among trials. CONCLUSION: These results indicate men, while able to produce higher absolute power outputs (i.e., lower sprint time), demonstrate higher decrement scores within a trial compared to women, thus suggesting women may recover faster and fatigue less. Also, gender differences affecting recovery within in a trial were observed to be diminished between trials (i.e., day-to-day recovery) of maximal intermittent sprint work evidenced by the observed stability of performance between trials following various recovery durations.

Physiological and comfort effects of a commercial "cooling cap" worn under protective helmets.

Ballistic protective helmets can impair heat dissipation. A cooling device in the helmet (cooling pad, CP) could help prevent heat problems in military personnel and potentially enhance comfort. This study examined the effects of CP on rectal and skin temperatures, heart rate, percent change in plasma volume, urine specific gravity, rating of perceived exertion, and other subjective measures while performing light work in a hot environment. It was hypothesized that the CP would act as an insulator to the head, which would not positively affect any physiological variable but could positively affect wearer subjective comfort or temperature. Participants performed a work protocol for approximately 2 hr. A ballistic vest, slacks, short-sleeved button-up shirt, and a ballistic helmet (one trial with CP and one trial without) were worn. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no differences (p > 0.05) between wearing and not wearing the CP for any physiological parameter. However, participants perceived the CP as cooler (p = 0.002). Other trends in perceptual data such as thermal strain and helmet comfort indicated the CP felt cooler. However, based on forehead temperature and participant comments, the CP lost its cooling ability relatively quickly (within approximately 30 min).

Validation of a personal fluid loss monitor.

Dehydration raises heat injury risk and reduces performance [ , , ]. The purpose was to validate the Hydra-Alert Jr (Acumen). The Hydra-Alert was tested in two exercise/clothing conditions. Participants wore it while wearing exercise clothing and exercising at a self-selected intensity (n = 8). Others wore the Hydra-Alert while wearing a ballistic-vest and performing an industrial-protocol (n = 8). For each condition, the Hydra-Alert was tested on two occasions (T1 and T2). The Hydra-Alert was tested against nude weight loss for both conditions. The Hydra-Alert had low test-retest reliability for both conditions (average absolute value of the error between Hydra-Alert outputs of T1 and T2 = 0.08 +/- 0.08 percentage points). With exercise-clothing, the Hydra-Alert evidenced low-moderate correlations between percent nude weight loss and Hydra-Alert output at 20 min (r = 0.59-T1, p = 0.13; r = 0.12-T2, p = 0.78), at 40 min (r = 0.93-T1, p = 0.001; r = 0.63-T2, p = 0.10), and at approximately 2 % weight loss (r = 0.21-T1 and T2, p = 0.61 and 0.62, respectively). The correlation at 40 min during T1 fell during T2 suggesting the Hydra-Alert was inconsistent. When wearing a ballistic-vest, the Hydra-Alert had poor validity (T1: r = - 0.29 [p = 0.48] for weight loss vs. monitor; T2: r = 0.11 [p = 0.80]). At the higher levels of dehydration ( approximately 2 %), the Hydra-Alert error was so high as to render its readings of little value. In some cases, the Hydra-Alert could lead to a false level of security if dehydrated. Therefore, the Hydra-Alert is of little use for those who want to measure their fluid loss while exercising in the heat.

Influence of the National Curriculum for Physical Education on inner-city teachers' behaviours associated with pupils' psychosocial development.

This study examined the quality of instruction provided by a sample of teachers working in a depressed urban setting and within the confines of the National Curriculum for Physical Education in terms of use of behaviours related to pupils' psychosocial development. Subjects were 18 specialist physical education teachers working in seven mixed-sex secondary schools in one large city in southeastern England. Two lessons of each teacher's choice, in which they taught any activity to pupils in Years 7, 8, or 9, were videotaped during the summer term of 1996. Lessons were coded with the Coaching Behavior Assessment System, an observational procedure designed to record the rate at which teachers use behaviours positively and negatively associated with pupils' psychosocial development. Descriptive statistics indicated that teachers used behaviours linked with pupils' positive psychosocial development much more frequently than they used behaviours associated with pupils' negative psychosocial development. A comparison of the data collected at these seven urban schools with those collected previously in a rural setting (Curtner-Smith, Kerr, & Hencken, 1995) suggested that, in general, British physical education teachers' behaviours are similar across the locations.

Influence of British national curriculum physical education on teachers' behaviours associated with pupils' psychosocial development: a case study in one English town.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of British National Curriculum Physical Education on the quality of physical education instruction in the five state secondary schools in one southwestern English town in terms of teachers' use of behaviours related with pupils' psychosocial development during the 1994 summer term. Subjects were the 20 physical education teachers employed at the five schools. Two lessons of each teacher's choice in which they taught any activity to pupils in Years 7, 8, and 9 were videotaped. Lessons were coded with the Coaching Behavior Assessment System, an observational instrument designed to record the rate at which teachers use behaviours positively and negatively related with pupils' psychosocial development. Data generated by this system were entered into an SPSS programme to produce descriptive statistics. Regardless of the activity being taught, teachers used behaviours related to pupils' positive psychosocial development much more frequently than they used behaviours linked with pupils' negative psychosocial development. A comparison of the data collected at these five schools during the present study with those collected in the summer term of 1992 indicated that the introduction of the National Curriculum Physical Education did not affect teachers' use of behaviours associated with pupils' psychosocial development when teaching summer activities.

The structure of family perceptions among adolescents and their parents: individual satisfaction factors and family system factors.

This study examined the underlying structure of self-reports of family functioning by adolescents, mothers, and fathers (N of individuals = 360) from intact families. Participants completed a multidimensional self-report measure of family functioning, and their responses were entered into a factor analysis with the family as the unit of analysis (N of cases = 120). The results indicate two types of factors: individual satisfaction factors and family system factors. The findings are consistent with the view that different types of characteristics assessed in self-report measures of the family may be stored as different kinds of memories. The findings also provide preliminary data toward understanding the linkages between family system factors and satisfaction with the family based on family roles as adolescents, mothers, and fathers.