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Mandatory Rest Stops Improve Athlete Safety during Event Medical Coverage for Ultramarathons

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2016

Jeremy Joslin ,
Joshua Mularella ,
Allison Bail ,
Susan Wojcik  and
Derek R. Cooney
Jeremy Joslin
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York USA
Joshua Mularella
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York USA
Allison Bail
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York USA
Susan Wojcik
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York USA
Derek R. Cooney*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York USA
*
Correspondence: Derek R. Cooney, MD, FF/NREMT-P, FACEP Department of Emergency Medicine 550 East Genesee Street/EMSTAT Center SUNY Upstate Medical University Syracuse, New York 13202 USA E-mail: cooneyd@upstate.edu
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Abstract

Introduction

Provisions of medical direction and clinical services for ultramarathons require specific attention to heat illness. Heat stress can affect athlete performance negatively, and heat accumulation without acclimatization is associated with the development of exertional heat stroke (EHS). In order to potentially mitigate the risk of this safety concern, the Jungle Marathon (Para, Brazil) instituted mandatory rest periods during the first two days of this 7-day, staged, Brazilian ultramarathon.

Methods

Race records were reviewed retrospectively to determine the number of runners that suffered an emergency medical complication related to heat stress and did not finish (DNF) the race. Review of records included three years before and three years after the institution of these mandatory rest periods.

Results

A total of 326 runners competed in the Jungle Marathon during the 2008-2013 period of study. During the pre-intervention years, a total of 46 athletes (21%) DNF the full race with 25 (54.3%) cases attributed to heat-related factors. During the post-intervention years, a total of 26 athletes (24.3%) DNF the full race with four (15.4%) cases attributed to heat-related factors.

Conclusion

Mandatory rest stops during extreme running events in hot or tropical environments, like the Jungle Marathon, are likely to improve athlete safety and improve the heat acclimatization process.

JoslinJ , MularellaJ , BailA , WojcikS , CooneyDR . Mandatory Rest Stops Improve Athlete Safety during Event Medical Coverage for Ultramarathons. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(1):43–45.

Keywords

heat illnessheat strokemarathonrestrunner
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 31 , Issue 1 , February 2016 , pp. 43 - 45
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2016 

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