Thermal Sensation After the 10-km Open-Water Swimming in Cool Water Depends on the Skin's Thermal Sensitivity Rather Than Core Temperature.

Abstract

To assess the core temperature fluctuations during 10-km open-water swimming (OWS) in cool water and the relationship between thermal sensation (TS) after 10-km OWS, core temperature, and local skin thermal sensitivity. Nine highly trained OWS swimmers (4 female; age 22 [3]y) completed a single 10-km trial in cool water (22.3°C) wearing swimsuitsfor OWS. During the trial, core temperature was continuously recorded via ingestible temperature sensors, and TS after trial was also measured. Then, local skin warm/cool sensitivity was measured in the forearm. All swimmers completed the 10-km OWS. Mean swimming speed for males and females were 1.39 (1.37-1.42m/s) and 1.33m/s (1.29-1.38m/s), respectively. Core temperature increased in 8 out of 9 swimmers during 10-km OWS (P = .047), with an average increase of 0.8°C. TS after 10-km OWS varied among swimmers. There were no correlations between post-OWS TS and post-OWS core temperature (P = .9333), whereas there was a negative correlation between post-OWS TS and local skin cool sensitivity (P = .0056). These results suggest that core temperature in elite swimmers might not decrease during 10-km OWS in the cool water temperature of official OWS. In addition, individual differences in TS after 10-km OWS may be related to skin cool sensitivity rather than core temperature.