What a great time of the year it is! Days of little or no rain, temperatures hovering around the magic triple-digit mark, humidity so high it just ZAPS you when you walk outside……but it also marks the beginning of football practice. Yes, two-a-days have begun in earnest around the state, marking the end of summer & the start of a most revered time of the year---football season! While it is very exciting to finally see meaningful practices with real hitting & full gear, the weather gives us pause to make sure that our athletes are taking care of themselves. Lots of everyday people—not just athletes---suffer from heat illnesses during this time of year. These issues range from simple cramps to a life-threatening condition known as heatstroke. Here is a quick summary of common heat illnesses:
Exercise-associated muscle (heat) cramps
Dehydration
Thirst
Sweating
Transient muscle cramps
Heat syncope
Dehydration
Fatigue
Tunnel vision
Pale or sweaty skin
Decreased pulse rate
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Fainting
Exercise (heat) exhaustion
Normal or elevated body-core temperature
Dehydration
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Syncope
Headache
Nausea
Anorexia
Diarrhea
Decreased urine output
Persistent muscle cramps
Pallor
Profuse sweating
Chills
Cool, clammy skin
Intestinal cramps
Urge to defecate
Weakness
Hyperventilation
Exertional heat stroke
High body-core temperature (.408C [1048F])
Central nervous system changes (such as dizziness, drowsiness, irrational behavior, disorientation)
Staggering
Seizures
Loss of consciousness
Coma
Dehydration
Weakness
Hot and wet or dry skin
Tachycardia (100 to 120 beats per minute)
Hypotension
Hyperventilation
Vomiting
Diarrhea
What is good to know about any heat illness is that, for the most part, they can be prevented. There are actually practical steps that can be taken to ensure a person’s best chance for avoiding heat illnesses.
- Ensure that proper medical care is available for all games & practices (a certified athletic trainer (ATC) on staff is the best option
- Acclimatization to the heat is important—get used to the heat 10-14 days before practice starts
- Educate the athletes about proper fluid replacement
- Weigh the athletes pre & post practice to determine fluid depletion; no more than 2-3% loss per practice session
- Proper rest breaks, preferably in the shade
- Wear the proper clothing: light-colored, loose-fitting/absorbent or new-generation cooling or wicking attire
- Ready availability of water & sports drinks
- Minimize high-sugar sports drinks during practice; use these mainly post-practice
- Re-hydrate after practice, allowing 2-3 hours for meals to digest
- Avoid heavy meals immediately after practice
- To ensure proper pre-exercise hydration, the athlete should consume approximately 500 to 600 mL (17 to 20 fl oz) of water or sports drink 2 to 3 hours before exercise and 200 to 300 mL (7 to 10 fl oz) of water or a sports drink 10 to 20 minutes before exercise.
These recommendations are just that: “recommendations.” A lot of this is just common sense. But unless the athletes & coaches start being smart about exercising in the heat, problems are going to occur. Again, most heat illnesses can be prevented. To borrow a common cliché: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” Here’s hoping we can make the “horses” drink & take care of themselves.
Information for this article taken from the National Athletic Trainers Association, Official NATA Position Statements. For more information:
- www.nata.org
- www.swata.org/aata
- www.arsportsperformance.com
- bjmaack@arsportsperformance.com or 501.539.FAST (3278)
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