Hockey is strenuous and requires a lot of physical stamina, and proper hydration will reduce your risk of injury, contribute to performance potential as well as help you maintain peak fitness levels after a game. You need to consume more water and fluids than normal while playing hockey especially in warmer conditions to make up for lost fluids due to sweat, helping you stay focused and maintain peak performance.
As dehydration increases, there is a gradual reduction in physical and mental performance. There is an increase in heart rate and body temperature, and an increased perception of how hard the performance feels, especially when playing in the heat. Studies show that loss of fluid equal to 2% of body mass is sufficient to cause a detectable decrease in performance (that’s a 1.4 kg loss in a 70 kg athlete).Dehydration of greater than 2% loss of body weight increases the risk of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and other gastro-intestinal problems during exercise.
Signs of Dehydration
If you do not stay well-hydrated, you run the risk of dehydration. A study published in the “British Journal of Sports Medicine” in 2007 found that even moderate dehydration led to a significant decrease in fitness performance levels as measured after only a 45-minute performance. When you start feeling thirsty, your body is already mildly dehydrated, which is why you need to drink fluids regularly and not only when you feel thirst. Signs of dehydration include a dry mouth, less urination, dark-coloured urine, a headache and muscle cramps. Mild dehydration can often be self-treated by drinking water or a sports drink, as well as sucking on ice cubes, while severe dehydration needs to be treated with professional medical care. Treat dehydration as soon as you recognize the symptoms.
Fluid Loss while playing or training
The amount of water you lose during playing or training depends on the degree of intensity as well as the weather. If you are playing hockey in hot weather, you will need to consume more fluids. The American Council on Exercise states that one hour of exercise can lead to more than a quart of water being lost. Drink water throughout the game, regardless of whether you feel like you need it or not. The Gatorade Sports Science Institute recommends that you drink enough fluids so that your body weight at the end of any game is within approximately 1.12 kilograms of your starting body weight.
The Solution: Hydrating properly
The goal is to consume 5 to 7 mL of water or sport beverage per kg body weight is recommended at least 4 hours before playing or training in heat conditions.
You can hydrate with a variety of fluids — including tea, juice or soda — although water is considered optimal. The American Council on Exercise recommends water as the best choice, although drinks that contain electrolytes are recommended if you are engaging in strenuous exercise for a minimum of 45 to 60 minutes. Electrolytes are minerals that are found in your blood and body fluids, and they affect how much water is in your body, as well as your muscle function. Water does not contain electrolytes; drink sports drinks or coconut water, each of which contains electrolytes, to replenish your supply. In general, rehydration is faster when there is some sodium in the drink.
Conclusion
It is very much part of a coach’s role as it is the individual player to ensure that the importance of maintaining hydration levels are given the attention it rightfully deserves if achieving high performance levels are a goal.
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