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Bledsoe, C.J.; Smith, A.E .; Lacy, D.B.; Mayhew, J.L.; Koch, A.J.; Roberts, S.; Schutter, D. Med Sci Sports Exerc . 39(5) S212, May 2007.
Truman State University , Kirksville , MO.
NCAA regulations require college wrestlers to undergo urine specific gravity testing (Usg) at the beginning of the competitive season. Each wrestler must be below the NCAA hydration standard of 1.020 g/dL in order to be allowed to compete. However, no evaluation of this standard across a season has been done. PURPOSE : To assess the variations in Usg measurement across a competitive season. METHODS : NCAA Division II wrestlers (n = 14) were evaluated once per month from October through February on a randomly chosen day for body mass, Usg, and urine osmolality (OSM). Usg was determined using a handheld refractometer and dipsticks (Urispec 11-way TM). OSM was determined using the Advanced TM Micro Osmometer (model 3300). RESULTS : A Usg method x trial repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in Usg across the five months but the dipstick method was significantly lower than the refractometer at all points. OSM was also not significantly different across the five months. Although OSM was significantly correlated with both refractometer Usg (r = 0.68 to 0.98) and dipstick Usg (r = 0.47 to 0.82), the values showed more variability than previously reported. Of the wrestlers studied, 86% had Usg values over 1.020 g/dL during the first three months, which decreased to 71% in the last two months. Three wrestlers (21%) were consistently above this standard at each measurement period. If a 1.029 g/dL standard was used for dehydration, 43% of the wrestlers were dehydrated during the first three months, 31% during the last two months, and none were consistently above that standard at each measurement period. Using the NCAA standard, the dipstick method would have indicated that 43% of the wrestlers were dehydrated in the early season, which dropped to 21% during the late season. Only one wrestler (7%) had a consistently high measurement by the dipstick method. CONCLUSION : When hydration measurements were randomly assessed across a wrestling season, a large portion of college wrestlers could be classified as dehydrated using the NCAA standard. The dipstick method tended to consistently underestimate the refractometer technique in the determination of hydration.
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