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Involuntary dehydration during cricket
C J Gore1, P C Bourdon, S M Woolford
1Australian Sports Commission, Canberra.
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|October 1, 1993
Summary
Cricketers experience significant dehydration and increased physiological stress in hot weather, impacting performance. Allowing players to drink freely during extreme heat could mitigate these adverse effects.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Environmental Physiology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Thermoregulatory stress increases with environmental heat.
- Dehydration significantly impairs athletic performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess physiological responses and dehydration in cricketers under varying environmental conditions.
- To investigate the impact of heat stress on cricket players' hydration status.
Main Methods:
- Measuring sweat rate, heart rate, core temperature, and urine parameters in 20 cricketers.
- Utilizing simulated and actual match conditions across cool, warm, and hot environments (WBGT 22.1, 24.5, 27.1).
Main Results:
- Increased heart rate, sweat rate, and renal conservation observed with rising temperatures.
- Fast bowlers experienced an average dehydration of 4.3% body mass in hot conditions, sufficient to impair performance.
Conclusions:
- Elevated thermoregulatory stress and dehydration pose risks to cricketers in hot environments.
- Amending cricket rules to permit fluid intake during extreme heat could reduce dehydration's negative impact.