In order to look after athletes’ wellbeing there are various environmental considerations that need to be considered. These considerations revolve around the safety of the athlete, particularly focusing on the maintenance of body temperature in hot and cold conditions. 

In order to enhance athletes wellbeing, a solid understanding of thermoregulation is needed – how our bodies maintain a safe temperature. With this knowledge it is then possible to understand how the environmental climatic conditions may affect body temperature and analyse strategies that may help in temperature regulation. Fluid intake is a key strategy for thermoregulation, and acclimatisation is vital in any climactic condition in order to promote the safety of the athlete.

Of particular importance in for this HSC PDHPE dot point, is the teachers note:

Students should understand how the combination of heat and humidity or cold and wind increases the likelihood of hyperthermia and hypothermia respectively.

This means you should ensure you have an excellent understanding of how hot humid conditions affect thermoregulation and strategies that can help promote safe body temperature. As well as, how cold and windy conditions make the body temperature more likely to drop and the best methods to help maintain athlete safety.

Environmental considerations are a key aspect of athletes safety and its various elements should be understood and applied in order to promote athlete wellbeing.

Students learn about:

• Environmental considerations
  • temperature regulation (convection, radiation, conduction, evaporation)
  • climatic conditions (temperature, humidity, wind, rain, altitude, pollution)
  • guidelines for fluid intake
  • acclimatisation

Students learn to:

• Evaluate strategies an athlete could employ to support the body’s temperature regulation mechanisms
• Analyse the impact of climatic conditions on safe sports participation