Row, row, row your boat…
12 Jun 2012 by Evoluted New Media
Blood gas analysers can have a role beyond the walls of the healthcare institution and here we look at how the GB rowing team is ready to unveil its secret weapon – a bold gas analyser
The portability and versatility of blood gas analysers at the point of care in the hospital and laboratory environment is well recognised. The easy-to-use cartridge based systems provide rapid results and give reliable quality assurances for patient care planning. However, the instruments are also proving useful outside the walls of the health environment.
In 2008 a RAPIDLab Blood Gas Analyser was utilised by doctors from University College London (UCL) to report their findings of a pioneering expedition to examine the world’s first measurements of blood oxygen levels in climbers near the summit of Everest.
More recently, the GB rowing team has hailed a RAPIDPointBlood Gas Analyser from Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics as its ‘secret weapon’ in its athletic arsenal following a win of 14 medals at the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia.
As the high performance partner, Siemens works with the GB Rowing Team on innovative ways to assist the team’s training and the performance of its male, female and adaptive crews. It provided the GB Rowing Team with the instrument so that the team could gain valuable performance data by monitoring athletes’ adaption to high intensity training.
The Blood Gas Analyser measures blood pH (an indication of muscle acidity) and bicarbonate (the body’s acid buffer) from small blood samples. During the build-up to the racing season, it enables observation of increases in resting bicarbonate. This provides valuable information about the rowing athletes’ anaerobic system and its contribution to race performance. Blood gas testing is used to evaluate oxygenation. For example, if a rower is displaying symptoms of an acid/base imbalance, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath, a blood gas test may determine respiratory difficulties.
Mark Homer, physiologist with the GB Rowing Team states: “The benefits and effects of training are difficult to measure in the field. While we can effectively monitor aerobic fitness, the adaptation to high intensity training is more difficult to track. For the past two years we have been using the Siemens RAPIDPoint to measure blood pH and bicarbonate. Changes in resting bicarbonate levels over time give an indication of anaerobic adaptation; for example, increased bicarbonate levels demonstrate an increased ability to buffer acidic muscular conditions at high intensities. This information also helps us to understand the differences between rowers; areas for improvement; and the importance of this area of physiology to rowing performance in general. The information we have gathered has allowed us to track how individuals are adapting to high intensity training towards the climax of the racing season.”
[caption id="attachment_28237" align="alignright" width="200" caption="The Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics RAPIDPoint 500 Blood Gas System is a new addition for ease-of-use at the point of care."]
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Emma Neupert, talent research scientist at the English Institute of Sport continues: “The GB Rowing Team Start Programme has been using the blood gas analyser on the ‘Tall, Talented and Trainable’ project which examines the impact of training and progression rates in development rowers with high performance potential. Through analysing small quantities of blood the analyser has enabled us to track specific responses to training through monitoring such parameters as pH, bicarbonate and dissolved gases in the blood. As the information we get from the blood gas analyser is provided immediately, we are able to give instant feedback to the rower and coach. From these parameters we can then make informed decisions on the implications of these values and adapt their particular training session as required. As the system is portable we are able to take these measurements at different locations and on camp, giving us the flexibility to carry out our analyses in a range of surroundings.”
Paul Thompson, GB rowing team Chief Coach for women and lightweight squads adds: “Using this analyser allows coaches and support staff better to monitor, direct and individualise the rowers’ programme to maximise the training effect and their race readiness.”
Helen Glover, World Cup winner 2011 and World Championship silver medallist 2010, women’s pair states: “As international rowers we are used to undergoing various testing procedures during training but the testing involved with the RAPIDPoint is painless and non-invasive. The results have been very helpful to me in understanding how my body reacts to intense periods of training. As an athlete who has experimented with Sodium Bicarbonate, information regarding its effect on my physiology and the optimum supplementation strategy is crucial.”
“Since the Siemens sponsorship began in 2006 we have worked on a range of technology projects and the use of the Siemens RAPIDPoint 350 is a very good example of the partnership between Siemens and the GB Rowing Team,” states David Tanner CBE, the GB Rowing Team’s International Manager. “There is no question that this has helped the GB Rowing Team to improve performance on the water.”
Afia Boamah, Blood Gas and Stratus CS Product Manager at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics concludes: “Our RAPIDPoint Blood Gas Analysers are compact, low maintenance and easy-to-use systems making them ideal for hospital critical care environments, plus a huge range of other testing environments, including sport.”
