Estimation of Pre-Practice Hydration Status of National Athletes in Sri Lanka using Urine Specific Gravity Measurements

Abstract

Abstract — In the field of competitive sports, optimal performance is influenced by the physiological well-being of the athletes, where hydration is a key factor that influences their performance. The study aimed to assess the pre-practice hydration status of national athletes in Sri Lanka. A cross sectional descriptive research design was employed. One spontaneously voided urine sample was collected from each athlete approximately one hour before the training session and this sample was tested for Urine Specific Gravity (USG) using a handheld refractometer. A fluid intake questionnaire was utilized to identify the fluid intake patterns of the athletes and to record the onset menstruation dates of the female national athletes. Using a multistage sample technique, 89 national athletes (60.67% female and 39.33% male) representing both team and individual sport categories were chosen for this study. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Chi-square test. The results of the Urine Specific Gravity measurements revealed that 51.69% of the athletes were Dehydrated with a mean USG of 1.036 ± 0.002, 31.46% appeared Hypohydrated with a mean USG of 1.024 ± 0.001 and 16.85% of the athletes appeared Euhydrated with a mean USG of 1.0125 ± 0.013. The results indicated there was no association in the pre practice hydration status of National Athletes in Sri Lanka with gender differences (x2 =1.6028, p >0.05). Through the fluid intake questionnaire, it was identified that in women, there was no significant association of menstruation phases (follicular phase and luteal phase) with the pre-practice hydration status (x2 = 0.41913, p >0.05). The study highlights the importance of tailored hydration strategies to optimize the health and performance of National level athletes in Sri Lanka.