- The World Academy of Endurance Medicine is a collaboration between World Athletics’ Health Science Department and the International Race Medicine Institute.
- The Academy’s aim is to improve the skills of medical professionals overseeing medical support at endurance events through education and training around the world.
Expertise on the prevention, diagnosis and management of endurance sports-related illnesses at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was shared during a series of recent training sessions conducted by the World Athletics Health Science Department.
Continuing the work of the World Academy of Endurance Medicine (WAEM) to safeguard the health of athletes, the training session was attended by medical staff working not only in athletics but also at the various Olympic endurance sports venues.
More than 60 medical professionals benefited from e-learning based education, followed by a hands-on training session on the diagnosis and treatment of exercise-induced heat stroke and exercise-associated hyponatremia, potentially fatal conditions affecting endurance athletes.
WAEM is an educational institute run by World Athletics and was established in 2021 by the International Race Medicine Institute in partnership with the World Athletics Health Sciences department. Over the past three years, WAEM has grown exponentially, hosting Race Emergency Medical Courses (REMC) around the world and training and certifying hundreds of medical professionals, resulting in an increase in medical services provided to hundreds of thousands of runners globally.
With WAEM’s partners including the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Triathlon Federation, and with the Paris Olympic Games approaching, WAEM developed a partnership with the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee. The knowledge WAEM staff had developed on the prevention, diagnosis and management of endurance sports-related illnesses, such as exercise-induced heat stroke and hydration-related illnesses, was an asset to fill identified knowledge gaps for the medical management of Paris 2024. Furthermore, the alarming scenario of a possible heat wave hitting the French capital during the Olympics increased the need for collaboration.
The e-learning-based educational sessions were followed by practical training led by World Athletics’ Health Science department on 24th and 29th June.
World Endurance Medicine Academy training session ahead of the Paris Olympics (© World Athletics Health Sciences Department)
Exertional heat stroke is a disease characterised by neurological symptoms and a body temperature above 40°C. It must be treated on-site using cold water baths, either at the racecourse or at the finish line, under the supervision of trained medical professionals and volunteers. Rapid local treatment is key, which requires special tissues, materials and large quantities of supplies such as ice and water. All these aspects were part of the educational content that WAEM staff provided to their French colleagues.
Exercise-associated hyponatremia is another potentially fatal condition caused by excessive fluid intake. It is a potential threat, especially for the thousands of runners taking part in the large endurance race “Marathon pour tous” during the Paris Olympics. The strong relationship between WAEM and Siemens Healthineers is tackling this issue in a powerful way: Siemens Healthineers provided ePOC® point-of-care devices during the Olympics, and WAEM staff trained Paris 2024 medical staff on how to use the devices and measure sodium and other biochemical parameters.
However, as World Athletics’ Scientific Manager for Health and Science, Frédéric Galandes, explained: “To some extent, intervention means a failure of prevention. With this training, medical staff in Paris are better equipped to quickly identify and optimally treat these pathologies, but it is crucial that we continue to send out appropriate prevention messages to both elite and recreational athletes competing in Paris.”
“Firstly, heat acclimatisation is easy to achieve and is the best prevention measure to compete safely in hot and humid environments (‘Beat the Heat’ leaflet). Secondly, whilst ensuring adequate hydration is important, endurance athletes should not consume too much fluid, so it is best to just drink fluids according to thirst.”