Heat Stress in Sport and Exercise: Thermophysiology of Health and Performance

The book is designed to provide a flowing description of the physiology of heat stress, the illnesses associated with heat exposure, recommendations on optimising health and performance, and an examination of Olympic sports played in potentially hot environmental conditions. In the first section the book examines how heat stress effects performance by outlining the basics of thermoregulation and how these responses impact on cardiovascular, central nervous system, and skeletal muscle function. It also outlines the pathophysiology and treatment of exertional heat illness, as well as the role of hydration status during exercise in the heat. Thereafter, countermeasures (e.g. cooling and heat acclimation) are covered and an explanation as to how they may aid in decreasing the incidence of heat illness and minimise the impairment in performance is provided. A novel and particular feature of the book is its inclusion of sport-specific chapters in which the influence of heat stress on performance and health is described, as well as strategies and policies adopted by the governing bodies in trying to offset the deleterious role of thermal strain. Given the breadth and scope of the sections, the book will be a reference guide for clinicians, practitioners, coaches, athletes, researchers, and students.

Julien Périard is an Associate Professor at the University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise. He is also an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney and former Head of Research Operations for the Athlete Health and Performance Research Centre at Aspetar, Qatar. His scientific expertise lies in the area of environmental physiology, with his research examining the physiological mechanisms that mediate health and performance in adverse environments (heat and altitude). Associate Professor Périard has worked with both amateur and professional athletes from various disciplines, along with National and International Federations and occupational work groups.

Sébastien Racinais is Head of the Athlete Health and Performance Research Centre at Aspetar. He obtained his PhD in Exercise Physiology in the French West Indies in 2004 for his work on the effect of a warm humid environment and the circadian rhythm in core body temperature on muscle function. After lecturing for two years at the French West Indies University, he lectured at the University of Montpellier in France on training adaptations, and conducted research on the neural factors limiting performance. Since joining Aspetar in 2007, Sébastien has developed a research program on the adaptations of the human body to hot ambient conditions and their repercussions on sport performance. He created and runs a Special Interest Group (SIG) of physiologists with a strong interest in environmental physiology. Dr Racinais has also collaborated with various international sports federations on consensus statements on exercising in hot ambient conditions.