Motion sickness is nausea and related symptoms brought on by real or apparent motion, caused by a mismatch between what the inner ear, the eyes and the body sense.
It matters to athletes in 2 ways. Squads travel by coach, air and sea, and a susceptible athlete can arrive unwell. Several sports expose athletes to the motion directly: sailing and other watersports, motorsport and aviation sports. Screens, simulators and virtual reality (VR) training can trigger it on dry land (visually induced motion sickness).
Most episodes settle once the motion stops, but symptoms can blunt performance, so prevention comes first and medication is used with care.
Unlock 10 full topics of your choice with a free account.
Already have an account? Log in