Factors limiting cold-water swimming distance while wearing personal floatation devices

Area of Science:

• Environmental Physiology
• Cold Water Immersion Physiology

Background:

• Accidental cold water immersion poses significant survival challenges.
• Predicting swimming performance in cold water is vital for rescue and survival strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of body adiposity, arm skinfold thickness, aerobic capacity, and cooling rate on swimming distance in a simulated cold water survival situation.
• To identify key physiological predictors of swimming performance following cold water immersion.

Main Methods:

• Seventeen adult participants swam in 14°C water while wearing personal flotation devices and seasonal clothing.
• Measurements included body adiposity, skinfold thickness (triceps, patellar, abdominal), maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), and body cooling rate.
• Triceps and patellar skinfold thickness, VO2max, and cooling rate were correlated with swimming distance covered.

Main Results:

• Triceps and patellar skinfold thickness significantly correlated with swimming distance (r = 0.70 and 0.56).
• Abdominal skinfold and percent body fat did not show significant correlations.
• VO2max was not significantly related to distance; a negative correlation existed between cooling rate and distance.
• Multiple regression analysis identified triceps skinfold thickness as the sole significant predictor (r² = 0.49).

Conclusions:

• Triceps skinfold thickness is a stronger predictor of swimming distance in cold water immersion than overall body adiposity, aerobic capacity, or core body temperature drop.
• These findings have implications for understanding survival in cold water environments and the role of body composition.