1. PDHPE HSC Enrichment Days
ACHPER NSW
PDHPE
HSC Enrichment Days
OPTION
Sports Medicine

2. Sample HSC Question
Evaluate strategies athletes use in order to perform competitively in different
climatic conditions.
12 Marks
This question from the 2011 HSC paper will be used as a stimulus to review content for the section of the Sports Medicine Option, as well as how to structure an answer that will allow students to access the top band according to the marking criteria.

3. Syllabus Links LEARN ABOUT’S: LEARN TO’S: Focus Question
What role do preventative actions play in enhancing the wellbeing of the athlete?
LEARN ABOUT’S:
environmental considerations
temperature regulation (convection, radiation, conduction, evaporation)
climatic conditions (temperature, humidity, wind, rain, altitude, pollution)
guidelines for fluid intake
acclimatisation
LEARN TO’S:
evaluate strategies an athlete could employ to support the body’s temperature regulation mechanisms
analyse the impact of climatic conditions on safe sports participation
This is the section of the syllabus that the content for this answer should come from.

4. What do you know about Temperature Regulation?
Students are to brainstorm what they know and understand about temperature regulation. The diagrams can be prompted to appear on the slide as prompts or to confirm the students’ answers.

5. Examples of heat gain and heat loss in sport
Eg, playing netball in Cairns
Eg, Snow skiing
Physiological reactions
to heat gain and loss
Students are to identify specific examples of times when they (or other athletes) have gained heat or lost heat Eg, when snow skiing, playing netball in Cairns.
Brainstorm physiological reactions to heat gain and heat loss (shivering, hairs stand up, sweating, face goes red, shortness of breath at altitude, poor coordination and decision making, decrease in performance)
Discuss reasons for these physiological reactions (Eg vasoconstriction – reduces blood flow near the surface of the skin).

6. Climatic Conditions athletes compete in:
Strategies athletes use in these conditions:
Excessive heat
Extreme cold
Humidity
Wind and cold 
Rain
Altitude
Pollution
The list of possible climatic conditions that athletes compete in is listed on the slide. Students may wish to add to this list.
For each of the conditions, students should identify at least 1 strategy that athletes could use in these conditions. To prompt their thinking, some pictures will appear with each click of the mouse.

7. Climatic Conditions athletes compete in:
Strategies athletes use in these conditions:
Excessive heat
Extreme cold
Humidity
Wind and cold 
Rain
Altitude
Pollution
Appropriate hydration
Appropriate clothing (dri-fit, skins etc)
Avoid exercise in certain conditions (heat + humidity)
Sunscreen and hat at altitude
Altitude training
Environmental tents
NB – Students should understand how the combination of heat and humidity or cold and wind increases the likelihood of hyperthermia and hypothermia respectively. Discuss with the group why this can increase the risk to an athlete
Combinations of these conditions can increase the risk to an athlete
Eg’s

8. Craig Alexander talks from
Altitude training explained
Craig Alexander talks from
his altitude tent
(watch 1st minute)
These 3 video clips explain some of the strategies that athletes use in order to perform in a range of climatic conditions. Play them and ask students if they have any questions or would like to discuss anything about the video clips.

9. How do I Evaulate? Is it effective? Why?
Students make a decision on whether the strategies portrayed in the pictures of specific climatic conditions, are effective or not effective. They are to write them into their workbook as well as why they are effective or not effective. This is how you evaluate!!!

10. Hydration & acclimatisation
Watch these two short video clips to stimulate thinking about hydration needs of athletes.

11. Guidelines for fluid replacement
Approximately per cent of the total body weight of the average person is w
However, the loss of even a small amount can affect athletic p
The most important cooling mechanism during physical activity is the e of sweat from the body.
Sweat is transported to the skin from where it evaporates (water changes into v ), cooling the body.
The role of w in temperature regulation is critical, particularly during exercise.
It is important because blood plasma is per cent water. A reduction in water lowers plasma levels and causes b p To d
This results in less blood being available to the m ,
Even minimal fluid loss affects e performance. For distance runners, their pace falls by an estimated per cent for each one per cent of fluid loss during an extended run.
Students are to complete the cloze passage (fill in the blanks), in their workbook as well as the comprehension style questions
Approximately 57 per cent of the total body weight of the average person is water.
However, the loss of even a small amount can affect athletic performance.
The most important cooling mechanism during physical activity is the evaporation of sweat from the body.
Sweat is transported to the skin from where it evaporates (water changes into vapour), cooling the body.
The role of water in temperature regulation is critical, particularly during exercise.
It is important because blood plasma is 90 per cent water. A reduction in water lowers plasma levels and causes blood pressure to decrease. This results in less blood being available to the muscles.
Even minimal fluid loss affects endurance performance. For distance runners, their pace falls by an estimated two per cent for each one per cent of fluid loss during an extended run.

12. Guidelines for fluid replacement
This slide contains the answers to the questions on fluid replacement in the workbook

13. What does all of this look like in an exam answer?
Read the sample answer that’s been included. Highlight all the places in the answer where you see:
Links to content from the syllabus (dot points or dash points)
Strategies athletes use
B) Evaluations (effective or not effective)
Students are to read through the sample answer that’s been included in their workbook. This has come directly from the 2011 Sample answer section from the BOSTES website (remind students that this is a useful resource that is accessible for them).

14. Evaluate strategies athletes use in order to perform competitively in different climatic conditions.
12 Marks
The human body produces a lot of heat during exercise, and loses this heat mainly through the evaporation of sweat from the skin. Evaporation is the process of converting liquid to gas. On hot and humid days, temperature control becomes more difficult – it is more difficult to cool the body by evaporation because the air is already saturated with water, which reduces the body’s capacity for evaporation.
The heat produced in the body during exercise must be lost or serious problems can occur. When the body’s core temperature moves outside of an acceptable range, the body’s capacity to perform will be reduced. Athletes are commonly affected by heat or cold illness. If not managed promptly and appropriately, these illnesses can become serious.
In cooler climates, heat loss is not usually a problem; however, if it is very cold, the body may not produce enough heat to keep the core temperature within an acceptable range. Airflow across the body results in heat loss by convection. Cold, windy conditions increase heat loss by convection. Athletes should be aware of the increased potential for heat loss by this method when exercising in these conditions, and take necessary precautions.
Clothing also influences heat transfer by convection. Heat can radiate from a warm object to a cooler one. In a cold climate, an athlete will radiate heat to the environment surrounding them. During exercise on a warm day, an athlete will absorb heat from the surrounding environment. Heat is also transferred when two objects of different temperatures contact each other; for example an athlete will lose heat to the environment on a cold morning.
After the students have attempted to annotate the script themselves, go through it as a group and click the mouse for the annotations to appear on the screen. Highlight to the students that this is not an exemplar script, but it does include each aspect that the markers are looking for in an answer.

15. Conduction is particularly important when exercising in water
Conduction is particularly important when exercising in water. Water is an effective conductor of heat; therefore, body heat will be lost very quickly in cool water.
If athletes are training in hot conditions, or travelling to a hot climate, they should allow for a seven to 10-day acclimatisation period, which is needed for the body temperature regulation system to adapt to the hotter conditions.
Fluid replacement is very important when exercising in hot conditions. Once acclimatised, a fitter person will sweat sooner and more, and lose less salt in sweating than a less fit person. The fluid lost must be regularly replaced to allow the cooling process to continue.
Wearing appropriate clothing is another important strategy athletes can use when exercising in hot and humid conditions. Athletes should try to wear a minimal amount of light-coloured and loose-fitting clothing, which also allows for adequate ventilation in order for sufficient evaporation to occur.
Additional strategies that an athlete may utilise in order to allow cooling to occur during competition and training are: • exposing as much of the body surface as possible during breaks in play • putting ice in the armpits, neck and groin during breaks in play • using fans and shade during breaks in play. Having longer breaks in play and shorter periods of play during extremes in temperature may assist. Introducing more drink carriers in particularly hot and humid conditions, or utilising ice jackets where available, can help. These are all effective because they assist the athlete’s body to oppose it’s physiological reaction to the heat, which decreases the risk for athlete safety.

16. The marking criteria has been included to allow students to look at the dot points in the top band (10-12 marks), and that they can tick off each one in the answer that they’ve just read.