Desportos de Inverno Adaptados

Physical exercise is generally recommended. Specific populations have particular needs, but physical exercise is also highly recommended for people with motor, sensory or cognitive disabilities. There are currently adaptive sports, including winter sports. Participation in adaptive sports improves cardiovascular capacity, contributes to integration in the community and decreases pain intensity, leading to improved quality of life. Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and ice hockey are the most popular paralympic winter sports. The medical teams working with Paralympic winter sports athletes face several challenges such as the need to tailor the adaptative material to the athlete, prevent acute traumatic injuries and treat chronic diseases.

Do Impairments in Visual Functions Affect Skiing Performance?

Nordic and alpine skiing-related visual tasks such as identifying hill contours, slope characteristics, and snow conditions increase demands on contrast processing and other visual functions. Prospective observational studies were conducted to assess the relationships between skiing performance and a broad range of visual functions in nordic and alpine skiers with vision impairments. The study hypothesized that contrast sensitivity (CS), visual acuity (VA), and visual field (VF) would be predictive of skiing performance. Binocular static VA, CS, light sensitivity, glare sensitivity, glare recovery, dynamic VA, translational and radial motion perception, and VF were assessed in elite Para nordic (n = 26) and Para alpine (n = 15) skiers. Skiing performance was assessed based on skiers’ raw race times. Performance on the visual function tests was compared with skiing performances using Kendall’s correlations (with and without Bonferroni–Holm corrections) and linear multivariable regressions (p < 0.05 considered significant). None of the vision variables were significantly correlated with performance in Para nordic or Para alpine skiing after Bonferroni–Holm corrections were applied. Before applying the corrections, VF extent (ρ = -0.37, p = 0.011), and static VA (ρ = 0.26, p = 0.066) demonstrated the strongest correlations with Para nordic skiing performance; in Para alpine skiing, static VA and CS demonstrated the strongest correlations with downhill (static VA: ρ = 0.54, p = 0.046, CS: ρ = -0.50, p = 0.06), super G (static VA: ρ = 0.50, p = 0.007, CS: ρ = -0.51, p = 0.017), and giant slalom (static VA: ρ = 0.57, p = 0.01, CS: ρ = -0.46, p = 0.017) performance. Dynamic VA and VF were significantly associated with downhill (ρ = 0.593, p = 0.04) and slalom (ρ = -0.49, p = 0.013) performances, respectively. Static VA was a significant predictor of giant slalom [(F(3,11) = 24.71, p < 0.001), and R of 0.87], super G [(F(3,9) = 17.34, p = 0.002), and R of 0.85], and slalom [(F(3,11) = 11.8, p = 0.002), and R of 0.80] performance, but CS and VF were not. Interestingly, static VA and CS were highly correlated in both Para nordic (ρ = -0.60, p < 0.001) and Para alpine (ρ = -0.80, p < 0.001) skiers. Of the vision variables, only static VA and VF were associated with skiing performance and should be included as the in Para nordic and Para alpine classifications. The strong correlations between static VA and CS in these skiers with vision impairment may have masked relationships between CS and skiing performance.

Preparing for the Nordic Skiing Events at the Beijing Olympics in 2022: Evidence-Based Recommendations and Unanswered Questions

At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the XC skiing, biathlon and nordic combined events will be held at altitudes of ~ 1700 m above sea level, possibly in cold environmental conditions and while requiring adjustment to several time zones. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may lead to sub-optimal preparations. The current commentary provides the following evidence-based recommendations for the Olympic preparations: make sure to have extensive experience of training (> 60 days annually) and competition at or above the altitude of competition (~ 1700 m), to optimize and individualize your strategies for acclimatization and competition. In preparing for the Olympics, 10–14 days at ~ 1700 m seems to optimize performance at this altitude effectively. An alternative strategy involves two–three weeks of training at > 2000 m, followed by 7–10 days of tapering off at ~ 1700 m. During each of the last 3 or 4 days prior to departure, shift your sleeping and eating schedule by 0.5–1 h towards the time zone in Beijing. In addition, we recommend that you arrive in Beijing one day earlier for each hour change in time zone, followed by appropriate timing of exposure to daylight, meals, social contacts, and naps, in combination with a gradual increase in training load. Optimize your own individual procedures for warming-up, as well as for maintaining body temperature during the period between the warm-up and competition, effective treatment of asthma (if necessary) and pacing at ~ 1700 m with cold ambient temperatures. Although we hope that these recommendations will be helpful in preparing for the Beijing Olympics in 2022, there is a clear need for more solid evidence gained through new sophisticated experiments and observational studies.

Cardiopulmonary exercise tests of adolescent elite sport climbers – a comparison of the German junior national team in sport climbing and Nordic skiing

Introduction: All the research investigating the cardiopulmonary capacity in climbers is focused on predictors for climbing performance. The effects of climbing on the cardiovascular system in adolescents climbing at an elite level (national team) have not been evaluated.Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) performed on a cycle ergometer during the annual medical examination of the entire German Junior National climbing team on one occasion and for a selected subgroup on two occasions spaced two years apart. The data from the subgroup was compared to an age- and gender-matched control of Nordic skiers from the German Junior National Nordic skiing team. Results: 47 climbers (20 girls, 27 boys) were examined once. The VO2peak achieved by the athletes was 41.3 mL kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ (boys) and 39.8 mL kg⁻¹min⁻¹ (girls). 8 boys and 6 girls were tested twice over a period of 27.5 months. The parameters of the exercise test measured on both occasions were significantly lower than those of the 8 male and 6 female Nordic skiers. There was no change with respect to any variables (e.g. VO_2peak, peak work load, peak heart rate, peak lactate or O₂ pulse) over the examined period. Conclusions: The elite climbers investigated in this study showed comparable VO_2peak values to athletes from team and combat sports. The Nordic skiers to which they were compared showed significantly higher values consistant with the fact that this is an endurance sport. Even though the cardiopulmonary measurements of the Nordic skiers still improved after two years of training, no adaptations could be observed in the elite climbers.

Are Women Really Less Competitive Than Men? Career Duration in Nordic and Alpine Skiing

Do women shy away from competition while men compete too much? The available, mostly experimental evidence generally supports these assumptions. However, in contrast to laboratory settings, labor markets do not have random assignment of workers. Instead, individuals—professional athletes and corporate executives—self-select into specific occupations. Using data from Alpine and Nordic skiing over 52 and 37 years respectively, we show that career length of men and women is virtually identical. Thus, when adequately controlling for self-selection into a highly competitive environment, differences between men and women with respect to competitiveness completely disappear.

Effects of a five-day Nordic skiing camp on the individuals and on the group.

Scholars from diverse disciplines are increasingly concerned with the benefits generated by the practice of physical activity in the natural environment on individuals (Gomila Serra, 2014; Jirásek et al., 2016). This chapter attempts to shed light on the various scientific approaches that confirm this beneficial relationship. It also contributes to the holistic and integral conception of the human being, made up of different dimensions: physical, mental, emotional and social (Sandell et al., 2009; Borkowski, 2011). After an introductory approach to the relationship between outdoor sports and the integral development of their participants, an empirical study is shown. A five-day Nordic skiing camp is used to evaluate the effects of this practice on the individuals and on the group.

Sustainable Financing of Elite Athlete Development: An Empirical Analysis of Winter Sports in Austria

This study examines the value of professional winter sports to the Austrian resident population in the context of three major sporting events (the 2017 World Championships in Alpine Skiing, the 2018 Winter Olympics, and the 2019 World Championships in Nordic Skiing). In nationwide population surveys (n = 2289), the contingent valuation method was employed, and the respondents were presented with two scenarios asking for their willingness-to-pay for live broadcasts and long-term athlete development. The aggregate willingness-to-pay amounted to €42 million (for live broadcasts) and about €800 million (for athlete development). However, only about 20% of the residents expressed a positive willingness-to-pay. The respondents’ willingness-to-pay is not only determined by well-studied factors like consumption capital, intangible factors, and socio-demographics, but also by life satisfaction. The willingness-to-pay for live broadcasts is comparably higher for alpine skiing, while the willingness-to-pay for athlete development is higher for Olympic winter sports athletes. The findings have implications for sport policy and sport finance, highlighting the challenge of turning public sport consumption into a willingness to contribute financially to sustainable athlete development.

Cardiopulmonary exercise tests of adolescent elite sport climbers—a comparison of the German junior national team in sport climbing and nordic skiing

Background: All the research investigating the cardiopulmonary capacity in climbers focused on predictors for climbing performance. The effects of climbing on the cardiovascular system in adolescents climbing at an elite level (national team) have not been evaluated.A retrospective analysis of the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) performed on a cycle ergometer during the yearly medical examination of the entire German Junior National climbing team on one occasion and for a selected subgroup on two occasions spaced two years apart was undertaken. The data from the subgroup was compared to an age- and gender-matched control of nordic skiers from the German Junior National nordic skiing team.Results: 47 climbers (20 girls, 27 boys) were examined once. The peak oxygen consumption (B achieved by the athletes was 41.3 mL kg-1 min-1 (boys) and 39.8 mL kg-1 min-1 (girls). 8 boys and 6 girls were tested twice over a time-frame of 27.5 months. The parameters of the exercise test measured on both occasions were significantly lower than those of the 14 nordic skiers. There was no change with respect to any variables over the examined time-frame. Conclusions: The elite climbers investigated in this study showed comparable a-values to athletes from team and combat sports. The nordic skiers to which they were compared showed significantly higher values consistant with the fact that this is an endurance sport. Even though the cardiopulmonary measurements of the nordic skiers still improved after two years of training, no adaptations could be observed in the elite climbers.