Sauna suit

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A typical sauna suit Sauna suit.jpg
A typical sauna suit

A sauna suit is a garment made from waterproof fabric designed to make the wearer sweat profusely during exercise. [1] A sauna suit is sometimes called a "rubber suit" because the early types were made of rubber or rubberized cloth. Now, sauna suits are typically made of PVC or coated nylon cloth. The construction is typically in the style of a waterproof sweat suit, consisting of a pullover jacket and drawstring pants. The closures at waist, neck, wrists and ankles are all elasticated to help retain body heat and moisture within the garment. In some sauna suits, the jacket also includes a hood to provide additional retention of body heat.

Contents

Use in athletics

Sauna suits have been used by wrestlers for the rapid loss of water weight by perspiration-induced dehydration. Several healthy collegiate-level wrestlers died from hyperthermia while undergoing such a regimen that included restricted diet and fluid intake. [2] [3] Notable cases of serious death or injury as a result of sauna suits in athletics include:

In 1977, the National Federation of State High School Associations, a sports governing body in the United States, implemented a rule that prohibited the use of sauna suits and suits made of similar materials for sports practice due to health concerns. [10]

The NCAA banned the use of sauna suits in 2013 ending what they called "a 10-year long dispute between sports sciences and coaches" after the wrestlers died. The NCAA said the ban ushered in an era where safe minimum weights, class qualification and nutrition are guided by science, which some enthusiasts say improved the participation and quality of the sport. [11]

Additionally, a 2022 study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that wrestlers who participated in perspiration-induced dehydration were more at-risk for injuries during competition than those who didn't. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sauna</span> Type of bathhouse

A sauna is a room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. A thermometer in a sauna is typically used to measure temperature; a hygrometer can be used to measure levels of humidity or steam. Infrared therapy is often referred to as a type of sauna, but according to the Finnish sauna organizations, infrared is not a sauna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyperthermia</span> Elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation

Hyperthermia, also known simply as overheating, is a condition in which an individual's body temperature is elevated beyond normal due to failed thermoregulation. The person's body produces or absorbs more heat than it dissipates. When extreme temperature elevation occurs, it becomes a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to prevent disability or death. Almost half a million deaths are recorded every year from hyperthermia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perspiration</span> Fluid secreted from sudoriferous glands

Perspiration, also known as sweat, is the fluid secreted by sweat glands in the skin of mammals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dehydration</span> Deficit of total body water

In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise, disease, or high environmental temperature. Mild dehydration can also be caused by immersion diuresis, which may increase risk of decompression sickness in divers.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scholastic wrestling</span> US high school wrestling

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterproof fabric</span> Textile that resists moisture penetration

Waterproof fabrics are fabrics that are, inherently, or have been treated to become, resistant to penetration by water and wetting. The term "waterproof" refers to conformance to a governing specification and specific conditions of a laboratory test method. They are usually natural or synthetic fabrics that are laminated or coated with a waterproofing material such as wax, rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), silicone elastomer, or fluoropolymers. Treatment could be either of the fabric during manufacture or of completed products after manufacture, for instance by a waterproofing spray. Examples include the rubberized fabric used in Mackintosh jackets, sauna suits, and inflatable boats.

Weight cutting is the practice of fast weight loss prior to a sporting competition. It most frequently happens in order to qualify for a lower weight class or to meet the maximum weight limit in the heaviest weight class if one exists or in sports where it is advantageous to weigh as little as possible. There are two types of weight cutting: one method is to lose weight in the form of fat and muscle in the weeks prior to an event; the other is to lose weight in the form of water in the final days before competition. Common methods to cut weight include restricting food intake, water-loading, and perspiration through exercise, wearing a sweatsuit, and/or sitting in a sauna.

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Mud wraps are spa treatments where the skin is covered in mud for a shorter or longer period. The mud causes sweating, and proponents claim that mud baths can slim and tone the body, hydrate or firm the skin, or relax and soothe the muscles. It is alleged that some mud baths are able to relieve tired and aching joints, ease inflammation, or help to "flush out toxins" through sweating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Panthers wrestling</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heat illness</span> Condition caused by the failure of the human body to dissipate heat in a hot environment

Heat illness is a spectrum of disorders due to increased body temperature. It can be caused by either environmental conditions or by exertion. It includes minor conditions such as heat cramps, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion as well as the more severe condition known as heat stroke. It can affect any or all anatomical systems. Heat illnesses include: heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat edema, heat cramps, heat rash, heat tetany.

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Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun-stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than 40.0 °C (104.0 °F), along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, but not in classic heatstroke. The start of heat stroke can be sudden or gradual. Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition due to the potential for multi-organ dysfunction, with typical complications including seizures, rhabdomyolysis, or kidney failure.

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References

  1. "How to Dress for Water Aerobics". SportsRec. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  2. "Hyperthermia and Dehydration-Related Deaths Associated with Intentional Rapid Weight Loss in Three Collegiate Wrestlers -- North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan, November-December 1997". www.cdc.gov. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  3. LITSKY, FRANK (December 19, 1997). "WRESTLING; Collegiate Wrestling Deaths Raise Fears About Training". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 31, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  4. Zuke, Ryan (March 1, 2018). "Wrestling has come a long way since 3 weight-loss related deaths in 1997". mlive. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  5. Knight, Athelia (December 18, 1997). "WEIGHT-LOSS METHODS PROBED AFTER 3 COLLEGE WRESTLERS DIE". WaPo. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  6. Hanley, Reid (December 12, 1997). "COACHES WRESTLE WITH 3 DEATHS". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  7. "Scholastic wrestlers find alternatives to extreme measures of shedding pounds". USA TODAY High School Sports. February 23, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  8. Register, Landon Hall | Orange County (March 28, 2013). "RetroFit: the sauna suit, a bad idea then as now". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  9. CarlsonStudent, Ollie (March 11, 2020). "Jessica Lindsay inquest confirms teenager's death due to extreme weight cut prior to Muay Thai bout". thebodylockmma.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  10. "Why are sauna suits outlawed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association?". wtol.com. February 7, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  11. Brian Hendrickson (October 9, 2013). "Wrestling Away From a Troubled Past". NCAA.
  12. Hammer, Erin; Sanfilippo, Jennifer L.; Johnson, Gary; Hetzel, Scott (February 1, 2023). "Association of in-competition injury risk and the degree of rapid weight cutting prior to competition in division I collegiate wrestlers". British Journal of Sports Medicine. 57 (3): 160–165. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-105760. ISSN   0306-3674. PMID   36261252.

13. Sauna Suits Pro used by Conor McGregor on 2019 in Ireland training Campaign