Abstract
The benefits of swimming have been extensively assessed. However, swimming pools contain chlorine and other irritating chemicals that may induce contact dermatitis. To evaluate the effect of a swimming training session on transepidermal water loss (TWEL) in swimmers compared to football players, elite swimmers and football players were invited to participate (58 athletes) in the study, where TEWL was measured before, immediately after, and 30 min after a 2 h training session. The probe was held on the dorsum of the hand, volar forearm, and on the antecubital flexure for 1 min. The volar forearm, antecubital flexure, and hand dorsum showed a significant increase in TEWL in swimmers in both measurements after training compared to baseline (p < 0.001). In football players, an increase in TEWL was observed on the hands’ dorsum between baseline and after training measurements. The variations on TEWL levels before and immediately after the training session were higher among swimmers on the volar forearm (p = 0.002) and antecubital flexure (p = 0.019). Our findings support the effect of the training environment—swimming pool versus outdoor sports—on the skin barrier function, with an increase of transepidermal water loss immediately after exercise. Exposure to a swimming pool environment in a 2 h training session may lead to changes in skin barrier function.
Highlights
Swimming is frequently recommended by physicians due to the multiple associated benefits, and these recommendations are often made to atopic patients [1]
There was a significant increase in TEWL levels immediately and 30 min after the training in all skin areas among swimmers compared to baseline
Levels on hand’s dorsum in football players were significantly higher immediately and 30 min after the training compared to baseline (T0)
Summary
Swimming is frequently recommended by physicians due to the multiple associated benefits, and these recommendations are often made to atopic patients [1]. A review of eight randomized studies evaluated the effectiveness and safety of swimming training as an intervention for asthma in children and adolescents aged 18 years and under, concluded that swimming training was well-tolerated, increasing lung function and cardio-pulmonary fitness [2]. Swimming has been associated with deleterious effects on competitive swimmer’s health. The high and long-term exposure to a swimming pool environment has been implicated as a potential cause of bronchial barrier dysfunction, mainly due to the high levels of chlorine and chlorination by-products, such as trichloramine, which may induce bronchoconstriction [3,4,5,6].
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