Impact of Pre-cooling in Adolescent Tennis Athletes

NCT04197375 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 8. Tennis pre-cooling
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 8
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Many tennis tournaments are played outdoors in hot and humid conditions, which poses a significant challenge particularly for children athletes. The purpose of this investigation is to examine if a precooling method can reduce thermal strain and consequently improve the performance of adolescent tennis athletes while exercising in hot conditions.

Conditions

Risk of Heat Stress

Keywords

heat stress; heat strain; performance; children; exercise; thermal

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (12)

• Heart rate

  Heart rate data were continuously monitored using a Polar Team system (Polar® Team 2, Polar Electro Oy, Kempele, Finland

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

• Core temperature

  Visceral temperature was continuously recorded throughout the match using telemetric pills (BodyCap, Caen, France)

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

• Skin temperature

  Skin temperature was continuously recorded throughout the match using iBUTTON sensors (type DS1921 H, Maxim/Dallas Semiconductor Corp., USA)

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

• Change from baseline thermal comfort at after each set

  Thermal comfort was assessed via the thermal comfort scale (1 = comfortable; 5 = extremely uncomfortable).

  Change from baseline up to 1 hour after each set and up to 4 hours at the end of the match

• Change from baseline thermal sensation at after each set

  Thermal sensation was assessed via the thermal sensation scale (-3 = cold; +3 = hot)

  Change from baseline up to 1 hour after each set and up to 4 hours at the end of the match

• Change from baseline rating of perceived exertion at after each set

  We used the Borg 20th Scale (6 = no exertion at all; 20 = maximal exertion)

  Change from baseline up to 1 hour after each set and up to 4 hours at the end of the match

• Change from baseline urine specific gravity (hydration status) at the end of each match

  Urine samples was obtained to evaluate the urine specific gravity. Urine specific gravity (single assessmentno units) was assessed using a refractometer (PAL-10S, ATAGO CO., LTD., Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, Japan). Urine color was assessed using a urine color scale

  Change from baseline up to 4 hours at the end of the tennis match

• Match - play characteristics (i.e., performance)

  They were recorded by analyzing the video footage from the match. The quantitative performance indices assessed were: games and points won in each set and normalized to the number of games and points recorded in each set, respectively. Unforced errors, first and second serve accuracy, aces, shots per rally and direction changes in each point calculated. Point's duration, between point-duration as well the effective point time calculated. The effective point time starting with the ball toss of the serve and ending when the ball passed the player or bounced twice on court. In case of double fault, starting time recorded from the beginning of the second serve.

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

• Air temperature

  It was measured continuously using a portable weather station (Kestrel 5500FW Fire Weather Meter Pro, USA) placed 1 meter above the ground according to the manufacturer's

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

• Relative humidity

  It was measured continuously using a portable weather station (Kestrel 5500FW Fire Weather Meter Pro, USA) placed 1 meter above the ground according to the manufacturer's guidelines

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

• Wind speed

  It was measured continuously using a portable weather station (Kestrel 5500FW Fire Weather Meter Pro, USA) placed 1 meter above the ground according to the manufacturer's guidelines

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

• Solar radiation

  It was measured continuously using a portable weather station (Kestrel 5500FW Fire Weather Meter Pro, USA) placed 1 meter above the ground according to the manufacturer's guidelines. Solar radiation is measured directly by the device of portable weather station.

  Up to 4 hours, during a one complete tennis match

Study Arms (2)

Pre-cooling scenario

EXPERIMENTAL

One hour before a tennis match, the pre-cooling group was wearing a Cooling Cap (WElkins Sideline Cooling System, SCS) for 45 minutes.

Behavioral: Thermal stress and performance using a pre-cooling protocol

Sham evaluation

SHAM COMPARATOR

Participants were monitored during a usual game without any kind of pre-cooling strategy

Biological: Thermal stress and performance without a pre-cooling protocol

Interventions

Thermal stress and performance using a pre-cooling protocol BEHAVIORAL

One hour before a tennis match, participants were wearing a Cooling Cap (WElkins Sideline Cooling System, SCS) for 45 minutes. During the tennis match the following variables were monitored: heart rate, core temperature, skin temperature, thermal sensation and comfort, rating of perceived exertion and hydration status.

Pre-cooling scenario

Thermal stress and performance without a pre-cooling protocol BIOLOGICAL

During a tennis match the following variables were monitored: heart rate, core temperature, skin temperature, thermal sensation and comfort, rating of perceived exertion and hydration status.

Sham evaluation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy adolescent athletes

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosed chronic medical condition;
• Symptoms of acute illness;
• Recent (past 4 weeks) usage of medications known to affect the circulatory system, the thyroid, the pituitary function, or the metabolic status.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Petros Dinas: lead

Study Sites (1)

FAME Lab, Department of Exercise Science, University of Thessaly

Trikala, Thessaly, 42100, Greece

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Misailidi M, Mantzios K, Papakonstantinou C, Ioannou LG, Flouris AD. Environmental and Psychophysical Heat Stress in Adolescent Tennis Athletes. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):1895-1900. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2020-0820. Epub 2021 May 21.

  PMID: 34021093 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Heat Stress Disorders; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Wounds and Injuries; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Researcher in human physiology

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 7, 2019
• First Posted: December 13, 2019
• Study Start: August 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: September 30, 2018
• Study Completion: September 30, 2018
• Last Updated: December 13, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-12

Locations

GR (1)