Climate change has caused a rapid rise in global temperatures, leading to more frequent and severe heat events. According to the Ring of Fire II report on Olympic heat, Paris has seen its average summer temperatures rise by 3.1 degrees Celsius since it last hosted the games in 1924.

Athletes with conditions such as amputations, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy are particularly vulnerable to heat. During exercise, the human body releases 75-80% of its energy as heat. However, some Paralympians face difficulties in dissipating this heat due to a reduced ability to sweat, potentially causing their core temperatures to rise faster than those of able-bodied athletes.

Amputees, for example, have a smaller surface area to release heat, and sweat accumulation in the sockets of their prostheses can lead to blisters, skin conditions, and discomfort. Andy Blow, a former elite athlete and a leading expert in hydration and sweat, highlighted the unique challenges these athletes face.

“Firstly, and most importantly, every athlete's body is different and reacts differently to heat,” said Blow. He emphasized the importance of understanding each athlete's sweat composition to effectively manage hydration. “The Paralympians heading to Paris will also need to consider how their disability affects their ability to manage heat and their sweat rate. Considering these two factors together will help athletes effectively prepare their body ahead of competition, and plan how they’ll replace those losses to perform at their best.”

The dangers of heat are not new to sports, with numerous incidents of athletes collapsing due to extreme temperatures, sometimes resulting in fatal outcomes. As climate change continues to extend the duration and intensity of heat waves, Blow offered advice on how athletes can combat these challenges.

“Heat acclimatisation, where athletes train in a genuinely hot environment, and heat acclimation, where they train in a simulated hot environment, are proven ways to improve performance in the heat,” Blow explained. He also stressed the importance of preventive measures, such as pre-cooling to lower body temperature before competition.

“High humidity can significantly limit performance because it reduces the effectiveness of sweating by hindering evaporation. The human body is not very tolerant to rises in core temperature, and a rise of just a couple of degrees can spark a cascade of negative and life-threatening responses in worst-case scenarios,” he warned.

To maintain peak performance levels, Paralympians must acclimatise to the heat, undertake quality training, and use cooling strategies such as pre-cooling to manage their core temperature during competition.