Hydration benefits performance, injury prevention, and recovery for athletes engaged in competitive sports. Thus, strength and conditioning coaches must understand an athlete′s hydration needs to prevent illness and enhance performance. The present study identified the hydration knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of collegiate track and field throwers, as well as identified barriers to hydration and sources of nutritional information. 

It supplied Rehydration and Refueling in Collegiate Track and Field Throwers Survey to 271 track, and field thrower coaches requesting to forward the email to the current track and field throwers. The study calculated Pearson correlation coefficients regarding knowledge, attitude, and behavior scores among the participants.

The study observed-

• 97.3% of respondents knew that dehydration decreases performance, but 50.5% incorrectly believed thirst was the best indicator of dehydration.
• A significant difference in reported values between participants who intended to eat a performance-enhancing diet and those who consumed less fluid than recommended values (207 – 295 ml) in the 2-3 hours prior to the competition.
• A large association between knowledge and behavior,
• A medium association between knowledge and attitude
• A small association between attitude and behavior. 

This study warrants that strength and conditioning coaches and health staff must educate and monitor hydration behaviors among collegiate track and field throwers to optimize performance.

Judge LW, Bellar DM, Popp JK, Craig BW, Schoeff MA, Hoover DL, Fox B, Kistler BM, Al-Nawaiseh AM. Hydration to Maximize Performance and Recovery: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Among Collegiate Track and Field Throwers. J Hum Kinet. 2021 Jul 28;79:111-122. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2021-0065. PMID: 34400991; PMCID: PMC8336541.