The FIFA World Cup has been riveting to watch, and I consider myself only a casual consumer of international football. One emerging headline centers around the soccer team from England. They play Mexico in the Round of 16 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. England coach Thomas Tuchel is on record as saying their team is at a disadvantage in the game on Sunday. Mexico has a very good team, but he is talking about something else. The English manager is concerned about the high elevation of Mexico City, which you may see incorrectly referred to as altitude. Here’s the science behind his concerns.
Elevation Versus Altitude
Mexico City sits at an elevation of 7,220 feet. That’s roughly 2200 meters. While you may see many outlets and commentators say the city is at an altitude of 7,220 feet that is technically an incorrect usage. “Elevation is the measurement of the height of a geographical feature that is above mean sea level (MSL)…. The distance from the height that represents the surface of the ocean up to the top of the feature,” noted the Geography Realm website. In other words, it measures the height of something on the ground. “Altitude is the vertical measurement of the distance of an object above the surface of the Earth,” the website continued.
Here’s how I have explained the difference to students at the University of Georgia over the years. Let’s say you are standing at the top of a mountain that is 5,000 feet high, and you see a bird flying at the same height you are standing. You are at an elevation of 5,000 feet, and the bird is at an altitude of 5,000 feet. Got it?
Elevation, Atmospheric Science, And Sickness
As you ascend to higher elevations, lots of things happen. “High-altitude environments expose travelers to cold, low humidity, increased ultraviolet radiation, and decreased air pressure, all of which can cause health problems,” according to the CDC website. “The biggest concern, however, is hypoxia, due to the decreased partial pressure of oxygen (PO2),” it continued. As you go higher in elevation, there is less oxygen. “This means that as you inhale, you’re receiving less oxygen than you normally would, which could lower your oxygen saturation levels,” according to the University of Florida College of Medicine website. The body tries to adjust by increasing heart and breathing rate. Increased urination may also happen as the body fights off an imbalance in pH levels due to a condition called alkalosis.
While it probably should be called elevation sickness, altitude sickness is definitely a thing that people are concerned about. If you have ever traveled to Denver you may have experienced it. Symptoms include nausea, headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, body aches, dizziness and appetite suppression. People who climb mountains are susceptible to it as well. For example, adventurers who climate Mt. Everest spend many days slowly ascending to adjust to the elevation and its conditions. Given these symptoms, it is certainly a different environment for a team coming from a country with an average elevation of 180 feet.
FIFA has conducted research on these effects. “One of the findings is that if it is not possible to travel to the venue 10 days beforehand to get used to the conditions, then it would be preferable to go on the day of the game – arriving as close to kick-off as possible,” wrote David Hytner in The Guardian. These guidelines rankled the English coach, but it seems that the show (or match) will go on.
I am sure it will be a great match, and I will be watching.
