The Effects of Facial Cooling on Fencing Performance

The Effects of Facial Cooling on Physiological and Perceptual Responses During Simulated Competition in Male Epee Fencers

Fencing competitions can last between nine and eleven hours, during which athletes wear layers of protective equipment that impair evaporative heat transfer and spend a large amount of time at exercise intensities > 85% maximum heart rate. Fencing performance can potentially contribute to heat stress due to increases in core temperature. Elevated core temperatures could hamper performance, and therefore the implementation of a strategy to reduce core temperature increases could lead to augmented fencing performance. Cooling methods are limited for use between fencing matches and during short breaks within a direct elimination match. Furthermore, due to multiple layers of thick protective equipment cooling method applications are limited primarily to the facial area. A potential cooling strategy, during fencing competition, includes the utilization of a water facial mist spray combined with fanning of the face. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the novel use of facial cooling on core temperature, relevant physiological parameters, perceived exertion and thermal comfort and sensation during a simulated fencing competition performance, in male epee fencers.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Hyperthermia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Facial cooling

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 60 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Trained fencers

Exclusion Criteria:

• Injured or a contraindicative medical condition

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Facial cooling; Between each simulated fencing match participants will spend the first 30 s of rest having a facial water mist sprayed onto the face with accompanying fanning from 50 cm away from the face.	Other: Facial cooling; 30 s of water mist sprayed onto the face during breaks in a simulated fencing competition
No Intervention: Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Tympanic temperature	Change from baseline in tympanic temperature taken during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days
Heart rate	Change from baseline in heart rate recorded during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days
Blood lactate concentration	Change from baseline in blood lactate concentration recorded during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days
Thermal comfort	Change from baseline in thermal comfort will be recorded on a scale of 1 - 4 (1 = comfortable; 2 = slightly uncomfortable; 3 = uncomfortable; 4 = very uncomfortable) during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout.	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days
Thermal sensation	Change from baseline in thermal sensation will be recorded on a scale of 1 - 7 (1 = cold; 2 = cool; 3 = slightly cool; 4 = neutral; 5 = slightly warm; 6 = warm; 7 = hot) during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout.	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days
Rating of perceived exertion of the dominant arm	Change from baseline in rating of perceived exertion exertion for the dominant arm will be recorded on a scale of 1 - 10 (CR10 Borg Scale) during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout.	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days
Rating of perceived exertion of the legs	Change from baseline in rating of perceived exertion for the legs will be recorded on a scale of 1 - 10 (CR10 Borg Scale) during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout.	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days
Rating of whole body perceived exertion	Change from baseline in whole body rating of perceived exertion will be recorded on a scale of 1 - 10 (CR10 Borg Scale) during each 60 s break within the simulated fencing bout protocol and between each simulated fencing bout.	From baseline to completion, up to 31 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: St Mary's University College

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Anticipated): April 20, 2022
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): August 31, 2022
• Study Completion (Anticipated): September 26, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 4, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 29, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): March 31, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 31, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 29, 2022
• Last Verified: March 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Body Temperature Changes; Heat Stress Disorders; Hyperthermia
• Other Study ID Numbers: StMarysUC3

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No