Differences in WBGT index along 23 km of the Boston Marathon race route can be small enough to warrant single measurements. However, significant misclassification of flag categories occurred using WBGT estimates for meteorological stations; thus, local measurements are preferred. If the relation between station WBGT forecasts and the race sites can be established, the forecast WBGT values could be corrected to give advanced warning of approximate flag conditions. Similar work is proposed for other venues to improve heat stress monitoring.
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association recom- mends using onsite wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) measurement to determine whether to modify or cancel physical activity. However, not all practitioners do so and instead they may rely on the National Weather Service (NWS) to monitor weather conditions.
To develop best-practice recommendations us- ing thermal indices to determine work-to-rest ratios and facilitate further implementation of environmental monitoring for heat safety in secondary school athletics in the United States.
Our results provide evidence for a cumulative effect of previous day’s heat exposure on EHI risk in these Marine Corps recruits. A simple index for use in predicting EHI risk is proposed that includes the dry-bulb temperature and the relative humidity.
Our study compared WBGT values determined by an OS device and those obtained from a PA from over 1,000 paired observations, collected from locations with different surface types and in different climate regions from across the U.S. We found that PA measurements yielded WBGTs that on average were about 1°C lower than those reported by the OS sensors, although discrepancies of 2–3°C were found at hotter WBGTs. Also, the PA tended to underestimate the need for activity modification compared OS devices, particularly in hotter conditions, indicating potential safety concerns for athletes and other active populations relying solely on PA WBGT estimates. Considering this, further validation of the PA is needed before it is adopted in place of OS measurements.