Abstract
The aims of this study were to determine: (1) trapped sweat (TS) in basketball uniforms and the effect on sweat loss (SL) estimates during a laboratory‐based basketball simulation protocol; (2) the impact of exercise intensity, body mass, age, and SL on TS; and (3) TS during on‐court training to assess the ecological validity of the laboratory‐based results. Twenty‐four recreational/competitive male basketball players (23 ± 10 years, 77.0 ± 16.7 kg) completed three randomized laboratory‐based trials (Low, Moderate, and High intensity) consisting of 150‐min intermittent exercise. Eighteen elite male players (23 ± 4 years, 92.0 ± 20.6 kg) were observed during coach‐led, on‐court training. Nude and clothed body mass were measured pre and postexercise to determine TS. Data are mean ± SD. There was a significant effect of intensity on SL and TS (P < 0.001, Low<Moderate<High, ANOVA). During Low, subjects lost 1.10 ± 0.59 kg sweat and TS was 0.11 ± 0.15 kg (8.0 ± 5.1% SL). During Moderate, subjects lost 1.60 ± 0.56 kg sweat and TS was 0.21 ± 0.21 kg (11.6 ± 6.3% SL). During High, subjects lost 2.12 ± 0.66 kg sweat and TS was 0.38 ± 0.28 kg (16.0 ± 7.4% SL). Multiple regression and partial correlation analysis suggested TS was significantly related to SL (P < 0.0001; partial r = 0.81–0.89), whereas the contributions of body mass (P = 0.22–0.92) and age (P = 0.29–0.44) were not significant. TS during on‐court training was 0.35 ± 0.36 kg, which was associated with a 14.1 ± 11.5% underestimation in SL, and was not statistically different than laboratory‐based results (P = 0.59). Clothed body mass measurements should be used with caution, as TS is highly variable and can cause a significant underestimation in SL in athletes with high sweating rates.
Highlights
Measuring athletes’ sweat loss is an important component of determining personalized fluid replacement strategies to prevent the potential negative effects of significant fluid imbalances on health and performance (Sawka et al 2007; Hew-Butler et al 2015; Thomas et al 2016)
As expected, %HRmax (63 Æ 6%, 75 Æ 6%, and 82 Æ 6%, respectively) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (9 Æ 1, 12 Æ 1, and 14 Æ 1, respectively) increased progressively from Low to Moderate to high-intensity practice or game (High) trials (P < 0.0001)
There was a significant effect of exercise intensity on total uncorrected sweat loss, partially corrected sweat loss, metabolic mass loss, respiratory water loss, corrected sweat loss, and trapped sweat (Low
Summary
Measuring athletes’ sweat loss is an important component of determining personalized fluid replacement strategies to prevent the potential negative effects of significant fluid imbalances on health and performance (Sawka et al 2007; Hew-Butler et al 2015; Thomas et al 2016). When testing is conducted in the field, athletes’ body mass is often measured while they are wearing some clothing or sports uniform (Cheuvront and Haymes 2001) While this is a more practical method, any sweat that is absorbed or trapped in the clothing can confound the sweat loss calculations. Little research has been conducted to determine how much sweat is trapped in sports uniforms and how it impacts calculated sweat loss at varying exercise intensities (Cheuvront et al 2002; Noonan and Stachenfeld 2012; O’Neal et al 2012) Such data could be instrumental in the development of best practice recommendations for measuring sweat losses in the field (Cheuvront and Kenefick 2017)
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