Heat Stroke Risk for Open-Water Swimmers DuringLong-Distance Events

Open-water swimming is a rapidly growing sport discipline worldwide, and clinical problemsassociated with long-distance swimming are now better recognized and managed more effectively.The most prevalent medical risk associated with an open-water swimming event is hypothermia;therefore, the Federation Internationale De Natation (FINA) has instituted 2 rules to reduce thisoccurrence related to the minimum water temperature and the time taken to complete the race. Anothermedical risk that is relevant to open-water swimmers is heat stroke, a condition that can easily gounnoticed. The purpose of this review is to shed light on this physiological phenomenon by examiningthe physiological response of swimmers during long-distance events, to define a maximum watertemperature limit for competitions. We conclude that competing in water temperatures exceeding 331Cshould be avoided