The smartest swimmers are the ones that know they need help before things get out of control.
Or before they fibrillate.
Is there a water temperature at which it does become a factor? I'm just asking.
Or before they fibrillate.
Is there a water temperature at which it does become a factor? I'm just asking.
I think the question should be: At what temperature does water temperature become THE greatest factor (which is what I think some posters have suggested is the case here); trumping other factors like training, conditioning, BMI, genetics, etc.
I don't believe that 50 degrees in a wetsuit qualifies for that distinction, and I don't believe that it is negligent for an event to be held in such conditions when the swim portion is described as "in frigid water".
I think the question should be: At what temperature does water temperature become THE greatest factor (which is what I think some posters have suggested is the case here); trumping other factors like training, conditioning, BMI, genetics, etc.
I don't believe that 50 degrees in a wetsuit qualifies for that distinction, and I don't believe that it is negligent for an event to be held in such conditions when the swim portion is described as "in frigid water".
I posted that "without question the cold water contributed to his death", in response to the race director's comment that it did not. No one suggested that other factors were not important.
Apparently catecholamine levels can increase by 300% in 59 degree water.
By the way, I have been told that he was healthy and had no family history of heart disease.
From a news article:
"Race organizer Bill Burke said officials plucked about 150 swimmers who were off course or struggling from the water and "repositioned" all but about 10 participants back in the water to complete the race."We pick them up and relocate them on the course," he said.
A recent article which is relevant to this topic--
jp.physoc.org/.../jphysiol.2012.229864.full.pdf
Great article. Cutting to the chase:
"Finally, we suggest that this concept, that is exemplified and perhaps amplified by cold water
immersion, may not be unique to cold water. While it is clearly difficult to test, it is possible that
Autonomic Conflict may be a common occurrence and may trigger SCD in association with a wide
range of environmental factors: a large lunch, a narrow coronary artery, a breath of cold air, anger, a
sudden shock, waking from sleep, an antihistamine, an undiagnosed sub-clinical channelopathy or
cardiac hypertrophy, may all combine in such a way as to turn this usually benign autonomic coactivation into a life-threatening arrhythmia."
"Cutting to the chase"?
Right. So we may conclude that the cold water did not contribute to the man's death. He likely would have died during lunch.
I think you missed the point. An autopsy will reveal if he had atherosclerosis and suffered a heart attack. But he may in fact have developed a lethal arrhythmia on the basis of cold water immersion, without a pre-existing cardiac condition.
From a news article:
"Race organizer Bill Burke said officials plucked about 150 swimmers who were off course or struggling from the water and "repositioned" all but about 10 participants back in the water to complete the race."We pick them up and relocate them on the course," he said.
Just my personal opinion, but does anyone else think this is a pretty bad idea? If someone is way off course or having problems, being picked up is one thing. Giving said swimmer the opportunity to get in again (with perhaps the same or worse results) doesn't seem to be very rational.
