There are 45 seconds left in the game. Win and advance, lose and the season is over.
The team has clawed back from a 16 point halftime deficit and are down by one point. The team has been using a full court press for basically the entire second half and it has worked. However, the team is now extremely fatigued. Jump shots are falling short, passes are off the mark, close outs are cautious. A timeout is called and the team comes to the bench. As coaches discuss strategy the sports performance and sports medicine teams hand out water and sports drinks...but what if more could be done? The season is on the line and the best that can be done is Gatorade?
More can be done.
While hydration, electrolytes and simple sugar are important and effective at aiding recovery, nothing may be more important right now than helping players regulate body temperature.
Rising body temperature wreaks havoc on your players’ performance.
Body temperature rises when we physically exert ourselves as heat is the primary byproduct of the chemical reactions that occur in working muscle. This issue is compounded by high gym temperatures, high humidity and stressful situations. Increased body temperature is known to dramatically impair muscle function, spike heart rate, and reduce motivation and mental fortitude.
Our main natural cooling mechanism (sweating) is less effective in a gym environment as the temperature tends to rise and there is no breeze to help evaporate our sweat. However, another natural mechanism humans use to manage rising body temperature is to dump heat out of specific portals on the body. These portals are the palms of our hands, the upper face and soles of the feet. These areas are covered by glabrous skin and have a high density of specialized blood vessels (AVAs) underneath. The portals allow us to control body temperature quickly and effectively.
To enhance this natural cooling strategy basketball teams at the highest levels are beginning to deploy ‘palm cooling devices’ to help players dump body heat. These devices simply enhance the natural cooling that can occur at the palms. This may sound like a small detail, but it's not. Research has shown significant improvements in work output in both resistance training and interval testing situations. Mitigating the rise in temperature has drastic effects both physically and mentally. A study currently in review showed dramatic increases in max effort sprint performance with as little as 30 seconds of palm cooling with AVA between intervals when compared to not cooling during the rest periods.
Increasing body temperature during exercise is a primary driver of fatigue and top programs and teams are now using palm cooling in-game. In fact, the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, OKC Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Duke Blue Devils, Minnesota, Boise State, Nevada Wolfpack, UCLA, LA Sparks and more use our device.
How to use palm cooling "in-game"
Implementation in a game setting is super simple and does not alter the flow of normal sideline operations when our AVA Cooling Technology device is use. The player is simply handed a cooling device any time they come to the sideline for a timeout or substitution. The player then gently holds the device in both hands for as long as possible while resting. The cooling should start early and often in the competition. The staff member in charge of the devices will monitor the embedded thermometer to be sure the device is used between 45-60 degrees F. This is the most effective temperature range for palm cooling. It is important that the device is a relaxing 'cool' temperature and not an uncomfortably 'cold' temp. If the device gets too cold the blood vessels in the palm will constrict and limit the effect.
Other reasons to use manage temperature in basketball
There are more reasons to use temperature regulation through palm cooling. For one, many programs use this strategy to help prevent and combat muscle cramping. Cramping is a multifactorial issue but in the end the muscle has become overheated and can no longer perform appropriately. Again, taking measures to bring body temperature down throughout the game can aid in never letting the muscles get to the point of a cramp. If a cramp does occur the athlete should be handed a device to hold in the palm and another device should be held directly on the cramp. Duke University uses the device for this issue with freshman phenom, Cooper Flagg. Early in the season Flagg was struggling with cramping so the team began having him hold the device before tip-off and every time he went to the bench. The result, no more cramping.
Another way to use palm cooling is to consider how elevated body temperature affects sleep. Many players struggle to fall asleep after late games (or practices). Their temperatures and hormones are elevated from competition. Holding a cooling device can help quickly bring their temperature back down and deliver a calming effect when using the device prior to and while in bed. If certain players have expressed difficulty with post competition sleep, they may benefit from being assigned a device. Learn our "fall asleep protocol" here.
Don't let your season end prematurely, knowing you could have done more to help combat fatigue.
Every year we hear from teams AFTER the season, wishing they would have done more to help their team this year. Help your athletes help themselves by providing ways to regulate body temperature. The solution is literally the palms of their hands.
