The dangerous heroics of the Brownlee

It is necessary to understand that in any situation of danger, Our body is designed to protect its survival, and more especially that of our brain

 

Our collaborated Marian Sanchéz tells us about the effects on our body of a situation like the one that happened with Jonathan Brownlee in the grand final of Cozumel

We've all seen these days these images of Alistair Brownlee Helping his brother Jonathan over and over again, and there is a lot of talk these days about that controversial action, in every way: if it was what had to be done, if that action is the representation of the sports spirit in the competition, if it was a illegal act sportingly speaking, if it was heroic ... countless comments and opinions have been read about what happened, but perhaps there is little talk of what is really important, the great risk that the action of his brother suffered the health of Jonny Brownlee.

We all know how these two brothers live triathlon and competition, the obsession that they reflect in their day-to-day life and that they show on social networks and interviews to train to the limit, to improve their performance, to squeeze up to 200% ... but make no mistake, they they are professionals of this and live for it and to get results, at whatever cost and sacrificing what has to be sacrificed.

Leaving aside the purely sporting aspect, what happened in Cozumel should not be an example to follow for any of us, looking at it from the point of view of health (surely doctors have that professional deformation of looking at everything like that).

What Alistair Brownlee did with his brother was a act of irresponsibility that put his health and integrity in serious danger, And of course it is not what we have to do any of us if we ever face a similar situation.

 

It is necessary to understand that in any situation of danger, Our body is designed to protect its survival, and more especially that of our brain. The most important stimulus with which the chain of reactions begins to protect survival is the decrease of oxygen in the brain.

An alarm signal is automatically sent that tries to reduce energy expenditure and oxygen consumption of the rest of the body as much as possible to reverse this brain “emergency” situation. This state can be produced by excessive overexertion, poor effort management or race tactics that we are not able to assimilate or maintain, trust or bet too hard on what we are capable of doing in competition (and obviously failing in that race). bet). We have all had experiences of this type of greater or lesser magnitude at some time in a competition. 

And for our safety and that of anyone around us, we must know that never, in any case, what Alistair did with his brother should be done since it was an act of irresponsibility (sanitarily speaking) that could cost him dearly. 

WHAT TO DO IN THESE CASES?

When our body enters into that state of "disconnection", we will try to put some knowledge in the situation: if we find ourselves with a fellow athlete, known, unknown or in whatever situation, we should not come to mind that idea of wanting to be heroes and pushing him to the price that is to finish the race. With a little common sense, in a case of disorientation like that of an athlete, the first thing to do will always be to sit or preferably topple the athlete to favor venous return and irrigation to the brain ... as simple as that.

Next, if we have the possibility and especially in competitions with high or extreme heat, it will be important to try to quickly cool the triathlete and try to lower their body temperature with what we have: water, ice, air with an object or garment if not we have something else, etc. And of course as soon as we can, without leaving the affected person alone at any time, notify the organization's medical services if we are in a competition or 112 if this situation occurs to us in training or similar outside of any race.

APPLY THE COMMON SENSE

How heroic and beautiful are the stories and actions that end well, but if we put ourselves in the worst or if this story had ended in a very different way, today everyone would be alarmed with the dangers of sport taken to the extreme, with the idea of ​​overcoming our real capacity for effort and with what we would have to do in these situations.

Well, although nothing irreversible happened on this occasion, it is always good to remember how we, the sports amateurs, really need to act to be the true heroes in these situations that we can all encounter.

Not everything is worth to finish a race, be it a village competition or a world championship, if it is worth needing help to finish a competition like that depends on the values ​​of each one, we are not going to enter here. At least keep in mind that the Brownlees are the Brownlees and to feel like better athletes there is no point trying to imitate them.

Although with the media that have already made those images when we see ourselves in a situation like this it will be inevitable that the situation of the two brothers in Cozumel comes to mind, applying common sense and something of cold blood, can help save lives

Mariam Sánchez

Further information:  institutoinnova.net