Physiologic Strain Experienced By A Collegiate Mascot During Sporting And Community Events

Team mascots wear heavy suits/uniforms leading to an environment not conducive to effective temperature regulation. Monitoring the physiologic responses of these individuals is important to understand performance demands and potential health risks. PURPOSE: To describe the physiologic strain experienced by a collegiate mascot during sporting and community events. METHODS: A physiologic tracking system evaluated heart rate (HR) and skin temperature of one individual who performed mascot activities “in-suit” (weighing ~14 kg) during a total of five sporting and community events. Internal body temperature was measured using an ingestible temperature monitoring capsule. Body mass was measured pre- and post-event to estimate sweat loss (no food, ad libitum drinking) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) from 6-20 (Borg’s Scale) was reported post-event. Means and standard deviations were reported for aggregated data across events for the participant. RESULTS: Participant data (age = 20.2 yr, height = 186.7 cm, mass = 98.5 kg) are presented in Table 1. On average, the mascot performed for 62.1 ± 8.7 minutes and lost an estimated 1.1 ± 0.4 kg (1.1% of body mass) of sweat during the 5 events. Average HR during these events was 176 ± 7 bpm and peak HR achieved was 207 bpm, while performing during a hockey game. Average internal body temperature was 38.4 ± 0.3 °C across all events and peak internal body temperature achieved was 39.72 °C during an indoor summer wedding. CONCLUSION: The mascot suit environment posed great physiologic strain on the wearer, highlighting the need for greater awareness of this at-risk population for mascot coaches, medical providers, and event staff. Providing access to hydration and rest breaks for mascots during performances is recommended. Future research should examine the effects of performing in different mascot uniforms, environments (e.g., indoor vs. outdoor), and event types as responses may differ with environment and activity load.