Search Results (13)

Surfing, performed semi-submerged in varied environmental conditions and apparel, evokes unique fluid losses compared to land-based sports, despite the inherent difficulties in collecting urine losses in surfing, making direct sweat loss comparisons challenging. This scoping review aimed to identify factors that influence fluid balance in surfing. Nine databases were systematically searched for relevant studies specific to the concept of fluid balance in surfing participants. A total of 153 studies were screened, and seven met the inclusion criteria. Five studies were cross-sectional designs, and two were randomised controlled trials, aligning to levels of evidence IV and II, respectively. Reported body mass loss was 1.3%, and fluid loss was 0.57 L/h. The surfers wearing wetsuits incurred a greater decrease in body mass following a surf session (1.05% vs. 0.59%, respectively). Elite surfers wearing wetsuits were reported to have high fluid losses (1.68 L/h), resulting in a body mass loss of 3.9%. Reported fluid losses of surfers are lower than those of land-based athletes; however, the elite surfers were reported to have high fluid losses that would likely impede exercise performance. Available information on fluid losses in surfers is of poor quality; thus, further research is needed to elucidate fluid intake recommendations for surfers in varying environmental conditions and wearing different surf apparel. Full article

Objective: This pilot study compared the positions of the antero-lateral (standard) and antero-posterior (alternative) pads in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario in athletes wearing a wetsuit. Methods: Seventeen undergraduate physical education students were instructed to attend to a simulated victim, with no signs of life, dressed in a wetsuit. In a randomized fashion, they were instructed to place the defibrillator pads in the standard position (antero-lateral) or in the antero-posterior option. The variables analyzed were the time required to perform the procedure and the difficulty and fatigue perceived by the rescuers. Results: Thirty-four interventions were analyzed (17 with each technique), showing that with the antero-posterior option, the time required to expose the area was less (median 6.2 vs. 12.7 s, p = 0.001), but more time was required to dry it (median 31.0 vs. 18.4 s, p = 0.002). No significant differences were found between the two options in the total time from onset to first flush or in the perception of difficulty and fatigue. Conclusions: In the case of caring for a cardiac arrest victim wearing a wetsuit, the alternative of placing the defibrillator pads in the antero-posterior position is not a significant advantage over the standard position. Both configurations may be considered acceptable in prehospital aquatic settings, depending on situational constraints and rescuer preference. Full article

Neoprene wetsuits experience significant thermal resistance degradation under hydro-static pressure, compromising diver safety and thermal comfort. Despite this known limitation, quantitative predictive models correlating material properties with thermal performance under diving conditions remain underdeveloped. This study quantified thermal resistance changes in commercial neoprene under simulated diving pressure (50, 100, 150, and 200 kPa, equivalent up to a 20 m depth) and developed predictive models for thermal performance degradation. A total of 33 commercially available neoprene sheets representing 11 types in nominal thicknesses of 3, 5, and 7 mm were systematically analyzed. Mass per unit area, thickness, and thermal resistance (R_ct) were measured under ambient conditions, as was compressive displacement under 50, 100, 150, and 200 kPa compressive loads. Multiple regression analysis established relationships between material properties and thermal performance. Under 200 kPa compression, neoprene samples exhibited compressive displacement ranging from 52.8% to 72.9% (mean: 64.3%). Strong correlations were observed between thermal resistance and thickness (r = 0.9198) and mass per unit area (r = 0.89388). The developed multiple regression model accurately predicted thermal resistance under compression. The 200 kPa pressure-induced thermal resistance reduction ranged from 19.3% to 53.2%, with an average decrease of 40.9%. Even at a pressure of 50 kPa, which corresponds to a diving depth of only 5 m, the thermal resistance of neoprene will be reduced by 21.5% on average. Commercial neoprene demonstrates substantial and predictable thermal performance degradation under diving pressure. The established correlations and predictive models enable evidence-based wetsuit selection and diving safety assessment. These findings highlight the critical need for pressure-resistant thermal insulation technologies and updated diving safety protocols accounting for depth-dependent thermal protection degradation. Full article

Surfing is a growing, high-participation recreational and competitive activity. It is relatively unique, being performed on, in, and through water with a range of temperatures. In other sports, warm-up and heat retention have proved useful at augmenting performance and ameliorating injury risk. Little work has been carried out examining this in surfing. The purpose of this work was to measure thermal profiles in surfers with and without warm-up and passive heat retention, and secondarily to assess any potential influence on free surfing. A repeated measures pre- and post- design was adopted whereby participants surfed in an artificial wave pool following an active warm-up combined with passive heat retention (experimental condition) and after no warm-up (control). Core body temperature was measured both occasions. Our results showed increases in core body temperature were greater for the experimental condition versus control (p = 0.006), and a time effect exists (p < 0.001)—in particular, a warm-up effect in the water itself was shown in both groups, possibly due to further activity (e.g., paddling) and wetsuit properties. Finally, performance trended to being superior following warm-up. We conclude that body warmth in surfers may be facilitated by an active warm-up and passive heat retention. In free surfing, this is associated with a trend towards better performance; it may also reduce injury risk. Full article

In recent years, attention to the realization and characterization of wetsuits for scuba diving and other sea sports or activities has increased. The research has aimed to establish reliable and standardized measurement methods to objectively assess wetsuit quality, particularly focusing on their mechanical and thermal properties. In this work, we describe and compare two different measurement methods for the characterization of neoprene wetsuit thermal resistivity. The first method follows the existing regulations in the field, while the second one, which we are originally proposing in this paper, offers an alternative yet accurate way based on a simplified experimental set-up and easier measurements. In both cases, the wetsuit sample under testing was shaped in the form of a cylindrical sleeve of proper dimensions and wrapped around a phantom containing water at a higher temperature and surrounded by water at a lower temperature. The wetsuit’s cylindrical surface allows heat flow from the warmer water on the inside to the colder water on the outside through the wetsuit area. In the first case, a thermal steady state was achieved, with constant heat flow from the phantom to the exterior. This was obtained with a power balance between two homogenous quantities. Electrically supplied thermal heating within the phantom was used to balance the thermal energy naturally flowing through the wetsuit’s surface. In this first case, a stable and fixed temperature difference was obtained between the inner and the outer surfaces of the wetsuit sample. In the second case, a thermal transient was analyzed during the cooling process of the phantom, and the thermal time constant was measured, providing the sample thermal resistance once the phantom thermal capacity was known. In both cases and methods, the heat flow and thermal resistance of other elements than the wetsuit must be evaluated and compensated for if they are not negligible. Finally, the thermal resistivity per unit area of the wetsuit material was obtained with the product of the wetsuit sample’s thermal resistance and the wetsuit area. The measurements, conducted until now by immersing the phantom in a free surface tank, show that both methods—under stationary and under transient temperature conditions—were valid to assess the wetsuit’s thermal resistivity. The stationary method somehow provided better accuracy while involving less well-known parameters but at the expense of a more complicated experimental set-up and additional energy consumption. The transitory method, on the other hand, is quite easy to implement and, after careful characterization of the phantom’s parameters, it provided similar results to the stationary one. An uncertainty budget was evaluated for both methods, and they did provide highly compatible measurement results, with resistivity values of 0.104(9) m²·K/W (stationary method) and 0.095(9) K·m²/W (transient method) for the same wetsuit sample under testing, which is also consistent with the values in the literature. We finally propose that the novel method is a valid alternative for characterization of the thermal insulation properties of a scuba diving wetsuit. Full article

At present, the traditional mode of research and development for mass-produced wetsuits usually requires repeated sample making and try-on evaluation, and performance cannot be predicted, monitored and evaluated in real time; this can lead to problems including low material utilization and production efficiency. In this study, real human body static and dynamic measurements, material properties and structure data are applied through 3D software to build an accurate virtual model, and new wetsuits are designed through simulation, optimization and evaluation. The static and dynamic fitting performance above and underwater is comprehensively evaluated in virtual and real environments, and it is proved that the virtual development mode can accurately and effectively guide the development and evaluation of wetsuits, and can meet personalized comfort and functional requirements today. This simulation evaluation method avoids repeated sample preparation, some unnecessary waste of materials and environmental pollution, and improves manufacturing efficiency. Full article

This systematic review aims to summarize the effects of wearing different types of wetsuits and swimsuits in front crawl swimming performance and physiological- and biomechanical-related variables. The Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and the Proceedings of the International Symposium on Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming databases were searched from inception to 25th March 2022. From the 1398 studies initially found, 26 studies were included in the review. The quality assessment and inter-rater reliability between researchers were conducted. The full body was the most studied wetsuit, with its use allowing 3.2–12.9% velocity increments in distances ranging from 25 to 1500 m, in incremental tests, in 5 and 30 min continuous swimming and in open water events. The sleeveless long vs. the full-body wetsuit led to a 400–800 m performance enhancement. Higher stroke rate, stroke length and stroke index were observed while using three different covered body part wetsuits vs. a regular swimsuit, with a lower energy cost being observed when swimming with the full-body wetsuit compared to a swimsuit. These findings provide useful information for coaches, swimmers and triathletes about the full-body and sleeveless long/short wetsuit use, since these three wetsuits allow improving swimming performance in different distances in diverse aquatic environments. Full article

Triathlon and other endurance races have grown in popularity. Although participants are generally fit and presumably healthy, there is measurable morbidity and mortality associated with participation. In triathlon, most deaths occur during the swim leg, and more insight into risk factors, such as hypothermia, is warranted. In this study, we measured the core temperature of 51 participants who ingested temperature sensor capsules before the swim leg of a full-distance triathlon. The water temperature was 14.4–16.4 °C, and the subjects wore wetsuits. One subject with a low body mass index and a long swim time experienced hypothermia (<35 °C). Among the remaining subjects, we found no association between core temperature and swim time, body mass index, or sex. To conclude, the present study indicates that during the swim leg of a full-distance triathlon in water temperatures ≈ 15–16 °C, subjects with a low body mass index and long swim times may be at risk of hypothermia even when wearing wetsuits. Full article

The number of shark attacks resulting in fatalities and severe injuries has increased steadily over recent years. This is mainly attributed to a growing population participating in ocean sports such as swimming, diving, and surfing. To mitigate the severity of shark attacks, the current study presents a novel fibre-reinforced composite for bite protection. This material is intended for integration into neoprene wetsuits, e.g., in the form of protective pads. A suitable material must be able to withstand significant bite forces, which are concentrated within a small contact area at the tips of the shark teeth. At the same time, the material should not hinder the complex motion sequences of aquatic sports. To this end, a novel fibre-reinforced composite was created by integrating Kevlar fibres into an elastic matrix. Uni-axial testing using shark teeth replicas was conducted on a specially designed test rig to quantify the effectiveness of the novel protective material. Full article

Despite considerable efforts to improve water management, India is becoming increasingly water stressed due to multiple factors, including climate change, increasing population, and urbanization. We address one of the most challenging problems in the design of water treatment plants: how to select a suitable technology for a specific scenario or context. The process of decision making first requires the identification of feasible treatment configurations based on various objectives and criteria. In addition, the multiplicity of water quality parameters and design variables adds further complexity to the process. In this study, we propose a novel Decision Support Tool (DST), designed to address and support the above challenges. In this user-friendly tool, both Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) methods are employed. The integration of MCDA with MOO facilitates the generation of feasible drinking water treatment solutions, identifies optimal options, and ultimately, improves the process of decision making. This implemented approach has been tested for different contexts, including for different types of raw water sources and system implementation scales. The results show that this tool can enhance the process of decision making, supporting the user (e.g., stakeholders and decision makers) to implement the most suitable water treatment systems, keeping in view the trade-offs. Full article

The aim of this investigation was to examine regional skin temperatures in recreational female surfers’ wearing a 2 mm thick neoprene wetsuit while surfing and to compare these results to previously published data collected in males participating in an identical study. Female surfers (n = 27) engaged in surfing for at least 40 min while wearing a commercially available 2 mm full wetsuit. Skin temperature of eight different anatomical locations were measured with wireless iButton thermal sensors. Regional skin temperatures significantly differed (p < 0.001) across almost all anatomical regions. Furthermore, regional skin temperatures significantly decreased across time at all skin regions throughout an average surfing session (p < 0.001). The greatest reduction in skin temperature was observed in the lower leg (−5.4 °C). Females in the current study exhibited a significantly greater skin temperature decrease in the lower back (−15.2% vs. −10.8%, p = 0.022) and lower arm (−13.6% vs. −10.8%, p < 0.001) when compared to previous data published in males. Overall, results of the current study are consistent with data previously published on male recreational surfers. However, the current study provides preliminary evidence that the magnitude of change in skin temperature may differ between male and female recreational surfers at some anatomical locations. Full article

Low water temperature (<15 °C) has been faced by many organizers of triathlons and swim-runs in the northern part of Europe during recent years. More knowledge about how cold water affects athletes swimming in wetsuits in cold water is warranted. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the physiological response when swimming a full Ironman distance (3800 m) in a wetsuit in 10 °C water. Twenty triathletes, 37.6 ± 9 years (12 males and 8 females) were recruited to perform open water swimming in 10 °C seawater; while rectal temperature (Tre) and skin temperature (Tskin) were recorded. The results showed that for all participants, Tre was maintained for the first 10–15 min of the swim; and no participants dropped more than 2 °C in Tre during the first 30 min of swimming in 10 °C water. However; according to extrapolations of the results, during a swim time above 135 min; 47% (8/17) of the participants in the present study would fall more than 2 °C in Tre during the swim. The results show that the temperature response to swimming in a wetsuit in 10 °C water is highly individual. However, no participant in the present study dropped more than 2 °C in Tre during the first 30 min of the swim in 10 °C water. Full article

Background: Commercial 3 Dimension (3D) scanners are relatively new to anthropometry. The purpose of this study was to explore ability of using a 3D imaging instrument to measure body volume with and without wearing a wetsuit. Three experiments were conducted to achieve this purpose: (1) to determine if the 3D imaging instrument could accurately measure volume of static objects; (2) to determine the resolution of accuracy of measuring volume of static objects; and (3) to compare whole-body volume of wearing a wetsuit using 3D imaging as well as another body volume measure (air displacement technique). Methods: Three experiments were performed: (1) measurement of volume of a mannequin head and a box using a 3D scanner, water displacement (for mannequin head), and dimension measurements (for box) techniques for determining volume, (2) volume measurements of 1, 2, and 3 layers of neoprene to assess the resolution capabilities of the 3D scanner, and (3) body volume with and without wearing a wetsuit using a 3D scanner and BodPod (air displacement instrument). Results: (1) Mannequin head volume using the 3D scanner was 1.46% greater than a water displacement technique; the box volume from scanning was significantly greater than volume calculated by measuring dimensions of a box. (2) The volume of a single layer of neoprene was 25.3% less with scanning than the criterion; the volume of two layers was 27.2% less than the criterion; the volume of three layers was not significantly different from the criterion. (3) Body volume was not influenced by the interaction of wetsuit and device; body volume was on average 5% greater with wetsuit than without regardless of instrument. Conclusions: We demonstrated that body volume as measured by a 3D scanner increased when a wetsuit was worn. Full article