Aclimatação ao ambiente quente: ajustes fisiológicos e métodos

Abstract

The hot and humid environment increases the physiological load, especially the cardiovascular system and when added to exercise, can promote rapid dehydration and decreased venous return. When exposure is prolonged, besides reduces the performance of individuals not acclimated, can lead to serious health risks. Performance sports with competitions at international level are often carried out in tropical climates, to minimize the physiological load generated by heat and exercise in not acclimated athletes training strategies were created for heat acclimatization. Heat acclimatization can be achieved by exposure to heat added or not to exercise, it is remarkable that the combination of exercise and heat is more efficient for heat acclimatization. To guide the acclimatization athletes, acclimation guidelines were developed by sports and academic associations, however, the methods traditionally used prioritize moderate activities and do not take into account the specificity of sports in the acclimation process. Recent studies have highlighted the need for research with highly trained individuals in sports and the use of similar exercises to those used in the sport, with the intensities required in sports competitions. Of the few studies found with highly trained individuals, is largely focused on cyclical or aerobic sports (cycling, running, marathons), few indications were found for acclimatization in team sports athletes whose characteristic of intermittent effort differs from the cyclical modalities. The results suggest that the intensity and specificity of exercises used can contribute to more efficient acclimatization for sports competitions, although this issue seems to be little explored