Physiological Responses to Swimming Repetitive "Ice Miles"

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Environmental Physiology

Background:

• Ice swimming, involving 1,608m in water below 5°C, is gaining popularity, with official races and demonstrations.
• The International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) governs competitive ice swimming events.
• Understanding the physiological impact of repeated cold-water swimming is crucial for athlete safety and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate core body temperature and hematological/biochemical responses to consecutive
• Ice Miles
• swimming events.

Main Methods:

• An experienced ice swimmer completed six
• Ice Miles
• over two days in water temperatures at or near 5°C.
• Core body temperature, swimming times, and selected urinary and hematological parameters were measured before and after each swim.
• Metabolic acidosis markers (lactate, TCO2, base excess, HCO3-), blood glucose, cortisol, and creatine kinase were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Each
• Ice Mile
• resulted in metabolic acidosis, characterized by increased lactate and TCO2, and decreased base excess and HCO3-.
• Significant increases in blood glucose, cortisol, and creatine kinase were observed post-swim, indicating metabolic stress and skeletal muscle damage.
• A negative correlation between core body temperature decrease and metabolic acidosis, and between pH decrease and cortisol increase, was noted.

Conclusions:

• Repeated
• Ice Miles
• induce metabolic acidosis and significant physiological stress in swimmers.
• Swimmers attempt to compensate for metabolic acidosis through respiratory responses.
• Findings provide valuable insights for athletes, coaches, and practitioners involved in cold-water swimming events.