Evolución de la competencia en el agua de los socorristas acuáticos / Evolution of the Competence in Water of the Aquatic Lifeguards

En el año 2006 entró en vigor la normativa que actualmente regula la formación de socorristas en la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (España). El objetivo de este estudio es conocer la influencia de la aplicación de esta normativa sobre el porcentaje de aspirantes que obtiene el diploma de socorrista acuático y sobre su nivel de competencia en el agua. Para ello, se han analizado las marcas de tiempo acreditadas por 6.105 aspirantes a socorrista (4.288 hombres y 1.817 mujeres) que se formaron entre los años 1993 y 2016. Los resultados demuestran que, desde la entrada en vigor de dicha normativa, se ha incrementado el porcentaje de aspirantes que obtiene el diploma de socorrista acuático, pero se ha disminuido su nivel de competencia en el agua. Se recomienda que las instituciones competentes establezcan objetivos y criterios de evaluación que promuevan la mejora del nivel de competencia en el agua de estos profesionales

In 2006, the normative that currently regulates the training of lifeguards in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (Spain) came into force. The objective of this study is to know the influence of the application of this regulation on the percentage of applicants who obtain the aquatic lifeguard diploma and on their level of competence in the water. For this purpose, the time marks, accredited by 6,105 applicants to lifeguards (4,288 men and 1,817 women) who received this training between 1993 and 2016, have been analysed. The results show that, since the regulation came into force, the percentage of applicants who obtain the lifeguard diploma has increased, but their level of competence in the water has decreased. Therefore, it is recommended that objectives and assessment criteria that are established by the institutions, encourage the improvement of the level of competence in the water of these professionals

Esquí náutico recreativo en personas con paraplejia: a propósito de tres casos / Recreational Water Skiing In People with Paraplegia: A Study of Three Cases

Objetivos: se analizaron la condición cardiorrespiratoria y la intensidad de esfuerzo durante la práctica recreativa del esquí náutico de slalom. Metodología: participaron tres esquiadores náuticos con paraplejia moderadamente activos. Realizaron un test incremental en un ergómetro de brazos para determinar su VO2pico y los umbrales ventilatorios y completaron 3 sesiones de práctica de esquí náutico, separadas por 48h, registrándose la FC cada 5 s. Resultados: obtuvieron un VO2pico de 22,3 ± 0,6 mL·kg-1·min-1 y los umbrales ventilatorios se analizaron al ~80 y ~50% del VO2pico. La FC media en las sesiones de esquí náutico fue de 111 ppm, lo que representó una intensidad de ~45% de la FC de reserva (FCR), permaneciendo por encima del 40% de la FCR ~12 min. Conclusión: la intensidad moderada de la práctica recreativa de esquí náutico de slalom podría servir para mantener o mejorar la condición cardiorrespiratoria en estas tres personas con paraplejia

Objectives: the cardiorespiratory fitness and the intensity of effort were analyzed during the recreational practice of slalom water skiing. Methodology: three moderately active water skiers with paraplegia participated. They performed an incremental test on an arm ergometer to determine their VO2peak and ventilatory thresholds and completed 3 sessions of water skiing, separated by 48h, where the HR was recorded every 5 s. Results: they obtained a VO2peak of 22.3 ± 0.6 mL·kg-1·min-1 and the ventilatory thresholds were analyzed at ~80 and ~50% of the VO2peak. The average heart rate in the water ski sessions was 111 bpm, which represented an intensity of ~45% of the heart rate reserve (HRR), remaining above 40% of the HRR ~12 min. Conclusion: the moderate intensity of recreational slalom skiing could serve to maintain or improve the cardiorespiratory fitness in these three people with paraplegia

Factors associated with life jacket use among cabin sailboat and day sailor boaters in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: In 2015, drowning accounted for 68% of the 626 recreational boating related deaths in the United States. Although life jackets are estimated to prevent between 50% to 80% of boating deaths, approximately 83% of sailboat-related drowning victims were reported to not be wearing life jackets. Life jacket use among adult boaters has remained consistently low across most boat types and may vary by boater, boating, and environmental conditions. Although many risky environmental and boating factors may be associated with a higher risk of boating death, drowning occurs in all situations and it is useful to understand adult life jacket wearing behaviors in differing boating situations. METHODS: This study uses observational survey data from 61318 adult sailors collected during the summer months of 1999 - 2017 from 124 selected study sites across 30 states in the US. Life jacket use was compared for day sailors and cabin sailboats by multiple boating, boater, and environmental conditions using Chi-square tests for equality of proportions. Results of these tests led to a choice of 3 informative and scientifically compelling variables to summarize variation in life jacket use for each sailboat type. Odds ratios were calculated comparing life jacket use from each boating situation to the lowest risk situation as determined by the 3 selected variables. These variables were represented in a tree diagram, detailing the additive impact of each factor. Following these analyses, all boating conditions were categorized to be risky or non-risky and a count variable was created for each observation based on the number of risks present. Cochran-Armitage trend tests were conducted to test for linearity in life jacket use for both boat types. RESULTS: The overall life jacket wear rate was higher among adults in day sailor sailboats (51.6%) compared to cabin sailboats (13.8%) and in all measured demographic, boating, and environmental circumstances. Comparing high-risk cabin sailboat conditions of low water temperatures, small boat size, and high wind speed to the lowest-risk situation accounted for a 23.3% range in life jacket wear rate (OR=4.7). Comparing high-risk day sailor sailboat conditions of small boat size, one boater on board, and choppy/rough wave height to the lowest-risk situation accounted for a 39.3% range in life jacket wear rate (OR=5.9). For both boat types, the number of risks present and life jacket wear rate exhibited a statistically significant positive linear relationship at p<0.0001. CONCLUSION: Study results suggest that boaters are aware of the connection between life jacket use and drowning prevention and are more likely to wear life jackets when boating in conditions perceived to be risky. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Boating safety promotion efforts should recommend adult life jacket use in all boating situations, as seemingly non-risky conditions may still result in drownings.

Scoring analysis of the men's 2014, 2015 and 2016 world championship tour of surfing: the importance of aerial manoeuvres in competitive surfing.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of aerial manoeuvres on scoring in professional surfing. 23,631 waves were analysed for the number and types of aerial manoeuvres performed from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Men's World Championship Tour. Additionally, the awarded score, timing and order of the aerial was also analysed. Descriptive statistics and Two Way ANOVA's were performed with Sidak Multiple Comparisons Post Hoc analysis. Results were a significantly higher score being awarded (P ≤ 0.0001) when including an aerial in competition across all three seasons. In 2015 surfers were awarded a significantly larger score when performing an air reverse, compared to 2014 (P = 0.0002) and 2016 (P = 0.0057). Surfers were also awarded a higher score for the full rotation aerial in 2015 compared to 2014 (P = 0.0177). In 2015 surfers performing forehand aerials were awarded a greater score than in 2016 (P = 0.0113). The timing of the aerial and score awarded was significantly greater in 2015 as opposed to 2014 when the aerial was their final manoeuvre (P < 0.0001) and when surfers timed the aerial performance early within the heat (P = 0.0027). If a surfer incorporates an aerial manoeuvre during competition, generally speaking, they will be awarded a significantly higher score.