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How Heat Affects Performance in
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Acclimatised vs Non-Acclimatised?
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How Heat Affects Performance in Football Players who are Acclimatised vs Non-
Acclimatised?

Introduction

The environmental temperature dramatically influences physiological responses to prolonged

exercise and physical activity and in hot environments this may speed up the development of
fatigue and noticeably impair exercise endurance. On the other hand, fast growing movements
may take advantage of the higher muscle tissue temperatures related to exercise in warm
conditions. All short-term performance parameters, such as accelerations, jumps, may thus
enhance unless hyperthermia-induced fatigue offset the valuable effect of the temperature
associated increase in muscle contraction velocity. Since football is an intermittent sport with a
lot of short intense actions repeated very frequently over a protracted period, it suggests that
some parameters may benefit from an elevated environmental temperature while the heat’s
accumulation with the passage of time may depreciate other performance parameters as fatigue
develops.

This essay is about the heat-related issues how heat affects performance in football players who
are acclimatised and non-acclimatised. It suggests that this essay is about the heat-related issues
of importance for physical and cognitive performance in football and its associated influence on
match-play characteristics.

Discussion

Exercising or Playing Football in Hot Environments

In hot environments, the capacity of a football player to exercise or play is noticeably reduced in
relation to that in cooler environments (1). There are some mechanisms contributing to this
reduction, which are various homeostatic changes occurring alongside the increase in the core
temperature of body. Typically, these factors can be grouped into (i) transformations in the
central nervous system leading to so-called fatigue and (ii) deteriorations of cardiovascular
function reducing delivery of oxygen and thus minimising aerobic vigour turnover within the
working muscles and incite peripheral fatigue (2). Moreover, Mohr et al. (2010) found the
tremendously high muscle temperatures in football, which may also weaken muscle function by
means of contractile and neural changes (3).
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In cool environments, the players produce most of the endogenous heat which is released from
the skin through convection. Nevertheless, evaporation becomes the dominant with increase in
the environmental temperature, and in some situations, evaporation is the only mechanism for
heat dissipation (4). In their study, Mohr et al. (2010) found quadriceps muscle temperature
(muscle of the thigh extended to the leg) of up to 42 °C in some in football players, while, even
in the environments of temperate, the temperature of internal body can arrive at 39-39.5 °C with
individual values over 40 °C (3). This increase has the combined effects in internal body
temperature and fatigue, through which a decrease in the amount of sprinting, running with high-
intensity and distance covered in the match’s second half are induced (5). The problem becomes
more intense in low environmental wind speed and/or high humidity conditions because the
evaporative heat loss rate is compromised, through which more physiological strain is imposed
on the body to discharge heat. At the end, heat illness and heatstroke are the results due to
resulting increase in body temperature.

Physiological Responses and their Impact on Running Patterns in Hot Environments

When football matches are conducted in cool to moderate temperatures, the average exercise
intensity corresponds to 70% of the players’ maximum uptake of oxygen (4), and it suggests that
there is metabolic heat production of approximately 1,200 watt possessed by players. Around
38.5°C is the typical stability of the core temperature in such environments (5), and it implies
that dissipation of heat to the environment by means of dry and evaporative heat loss
mechanisms corresponds to the metabolic heat production of individual players. In football
matches conducted in hot conditions, the heat dissipating ability by means of convective
mechanisms (transferring heat to the surrounding air) is diminished in strength and an extra heat
load may be provided by solar radiation on the player and even though an increase in the sweat
rate markedly occurs, and for establishing heat balance it may not be enough. The core
temperature of players, in these conditions, will escalate incessantly during each half of the
match (6) and they will face difficulty unless they reduce speed and thus bring their metabolic
heat production down. For that reason, the total distance covered by the players in an
experimental match conducted in 43°C dry heat (WBGT 35°C) was diminished by 7% than the
preceding control match conducted six days ahead in 21°C (WBGT 17°C) (7). The researchers,
in this match, also found a noticeable reduction in running with high-intensity and it is suggested
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by these adaptations in total distances and intense running that average heart rate (HR) was
maintained by players in the match conducted in hot environment as found for the preceding
control match and there was not different levels of plasma lactate across the environmental
conditions (7). When a sub-maximal exercise intensity given is preserved in the heat, a normal
increase in the HR occurs through which the reductions in stroke volume are compensated (8)
and at intensities evoking high HR level and taxation of the aerobic capacity to a maximal
degree, an increase will be occurred in anaerobic metabolism through which hyperthermia-
induced impairments in maximum uptake of oxygen is compensated (8).

Consistent with the observations from studies based on experimental research design, in-depth
analyses of all the FIFA World Cup matches conducted in 2014 in Brazil shoed that a decline
was observed in high intensity distance running when an increase in the environmental
temperature occurred (9). This change occurred in work rate could be part of a behavioural
modification strategy followed by the well-experienced players so that excessive fatigue is
avoided and maintenance of technical skills and sprinting ability as key performance indicators
(KPIs) are ensured. Although there are unclear precise mechanisms underlying the mindful or
unmindful lowering of exercise intensity throughout self-paced sport activities (2), the
assumption is that unless total running and mainly the amount of work with high-intensity are
reduced by players, the researchers would find extremely high levels of lactate along with
unwarranted exhaustion already in the middle of the first half (2). Nevertheless, the comparison
between the 5-min period of the match with high intensity (typically found in the first half) and
the 5-min period soon after this period makes it clear that the players. in the environment with
cool conditions, go through some quite intense periods where a significant increase occurs in
HR, lactate levels and plasma potassium concentrations and with a subsequent recovery/fatigue
period where there is noticeably a lower exercise intensity (high-intensity running minimised to
one-quarter of the proceeding period (7). On the contrary, less ground is covered by the players,
in the heat, in the highly intense period, but also go through less decrease in the subsequent
period, and it suggests that extreme fatigue is avoided by changing the pacing strategy of
individual players (7). In a study of acclimatised cyclists, the researchers observed changes in the
players’ pacing strategy allowing time trials to be accomplished devoid of extreme fatigue
development early in the competition-based trials, but in experienced but non-acclimatised
performers the capability of lining up with the intensity and completing time trials with a suitable
 Page | 5

pacing strategy is lacking (8). The importance of conforming and learning how to deal with heat
stress may be emphasised by this, not only to achieve the physiological advantages from
acclimatisation but also to develop suitable pacing strategies. For football and other team sports
it is readily apparent to the mind that the each single game with its unique nature and how match
play develops will have the impacts on the work patterns at the individual level (10).
Nevertheless, as all players in the match (both teams) are exposed to the identical conditions of
environment it seems that from the collective level to the physiological responses at the
individual level and alterations in pacing strategy can be compared with those observed for
sports which are played individually (8). For this very reason, acclimatised players have the
ability, than non- acclimatised, to adapt their intensity of exercise to the environmental
conditions surrounding them.

Recommendations

Now, brief recommendations will be presented to reduce the harmful effects of heat on players’
fatigue development and thus benefit physical performance of footballers when playing in hot
ambient environments.

Heat Acclimatisation

Heat acclimatisation is adopted as the most important intervention before competing in the hot
conditions with the aim of reducing the physiological strain and boosting sport performance (8).
As a result, players need to be trained in the heat prior to any match in hot, ambient environment
so as to gain the helpful biological adaptations as intended by augmented sweat rates, decreases
in sweat sodium concentration, lower core temperature and heart rate at given exercise intensities
(11). In a study, the researchers observed noteworthy sudomotor and cardiovascular adjustments
following just a few days of sports exercise and training in the heat (12). Nevertheless, although
very short time was consumed in which enhancement in heat acceptance and crucial
physiological adaptations are obtained and pragmatic limitations may let teams to spend just a
small number of days in the heat before a contest, the recommendation is that the period of heat
acclimatisation is minimum five to six days and preferably drawn out to 14 days to make sure
desired performance (8).
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Moreover, since big individual differences in the early adaptive response has been observed in a
study, it is suggested to ascertain the acclimatisation reaction for each player by recording the
alterations in hematocrit concentration once a heat-response test is completed, as an instance (7).

The sessions of heat acclimatisation should be based on at least 60min per day and stimulate an
extra increase in core temperatures of body and skin, as well as speed up sweating. Preferably,
the same environment as the competition venue should be available for players’ training.
Nevertheless, if travelling to the real contest venue weeks in advance is not possible for teams,
other procedures of heat acclimation can be employed, such as hot rooms (13).

Hydration

The importance of sufficient hydration before, during and in the recuperation period is much
more for physical, muscular and cognitive performance of players and for their safety during
heat-based training and competition (14). As players have the limited opportunity to consume
beverages during competition, they need to be careful to participate in matches conducted in a
euhydrated condition, while tolerant dehydration is adequate during matches (typically limiting
dehydration to 2% body weight deficit (14). Typically, this can be achieved by spontaneously
drinking throughout exercise, but preserving sufficient rehydration after each match by
consuming the large amount of water and sodium on daily basis (15). The recovery hydration
regimens, with a general perspective, need to include protein, sodium and carbohydrates to get
support for retaining fluid (16). For a long period of tournament, team’s coaches and doctors can
adopt simple methods of monitoring, such as routine evaluations of players’ body mass and
urine-specific gravity. By conducting evaluations of players’ sweat rate and sweat sodium losses,
individual strategies of coaches and doctors may also be improved (14).

Warming Up or Cooling Down

Footballers, like other players in different sports, generally warm up by means of moderate
intensity, interspersed with endeavours of higher intensity, and followed by a few minutes of
recovery prior to the match. Typically, the purpose of warm-up before match is to exercise by
practicing some skills and enhance the muscle temperature to make the paces of metabolic
reactions and nerve conduction velocity higher (17). Nevertheless, warm-up has the strong
potential to induce a dramatic enhancement in core temperature through which heat-storage
 Page | 7

capacity and aerobic performance of the player may be limited while performing in the heat.
Thus, the recommendation is that the warm-up is altered to get the benefits of temperature-
dependent (such as physiological groundwork) as well as non-temperature-dependent (such as
psychological groundwork), while reducing the increase in core temperature (17).

The cooling method can be used to achieve this through which the increase in core and skin
temperatures are minimised. Some of these techniques can be used by players prior to, during or
following the warm-up. External cooling techniques are application of cooled garments, cooling
vests towels, and others, and internal are intake of chill fluids or ice- slurry (17). For sports in
hot-humid conditions, a pragmatic approach might be using equipments, such as fans and ice or
evaporative cooling vests that are commercially available to enhance the capacity of heat
dissipation devoid of affecting muscle temperature. Moreover, the warm-up’s intensity and
length of may be minimised as the requirement is less activity to gain the physiological
advantages (lofty muscle temperature). In any situation, if the warm-up method and cooling
approaches are changed, such changes need to be tested and individualised throughout training
so that the player’s disturbance is minimised (8).

Conclusion

Illnesses associated with heat are a significant issue while playing in the heat and extremely high
core and muscle temperatures, which have been viewed as the strong potential factors of risk for
footballers and other exercising athletes. In an analogous manner, football match play in the heat
will be the challenging event for the players because their capability of maintaining homeostasis
is challenged and if their preparation is not very adequate, the risk of heat illnesses will be
increased by it. Nevertheless, when the guidelines of acclimatisation and hydration described
above are followed by well-trained players, physical activity in the heat environment does not
make recovery worse and players normally effort in the heat accomplishing extreme core
temperatures devoid of going through other symptoms compared to the fatigue and exhaustion
related to such exercise and than non- acclimatised players

To conclude, researchers of this field support the position statements given by coaches and
trainers and consensus statements given by expert panels operating at the international level, that
both the sport event organisers and doctors need to be aware of and familiar with all the possible
risks and symptoms leading to heat illness and for the reasons of safety provide the best possible
 Page | 8

establishment for treatment of heat stroke, extreme dehydration and other possible
pathophysiological responses. Nevertheless, if footballers and others in various sports are trained
adequately, acclimatised well and remain hydrated sufficiently, matches of football can easily be
conducted in the heat. The match-play characteristics or attributed will be influenced by the
environmental temperature and especially this will minimise high-intensity running.
Nevertheless, players have the ability to adapt their efforts for exercise and preserve other KPIs.
As a result, training and playing matches in the heat does not affect the game’s technical quality.
 Page | 9

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