Is your teen hoping to make the cut at this year’s varsity tryouts? Make sure she or he can take the heat — literally. As the summer gets hotter and kids enter high school, they will start participating in sports tryouts and practicesand unfortunately, some of them experience heat-related problems. Heat-related illnesses — heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke— are a real concern for all athletes, but parents need to be extra conscious of young athletes who may not know when they need to take a break. Parents and coaches need to pay even more attention to those who play sports that require wearing heavy equipment, like football. Studies have shown that the risk of developing a heat-related illness is 11.4 times higher in football than all other sports combined. No matter what sport is being played, during practices and games when medical professionals are not present, it’s extremely important for everybody — especially parents on the sidelines watching their children participate — to have some information regarding heat-related illness. The following tips may help parents and coaches prevent heat stroke, heat exhaustion or cramps in their child or player.
True: All athletes at Division I and II schools are required to be tested for the trait or sign a written release declining the test before competing. Tests for sickle cell trait are currently performed on all newborns in the U.S. Individuals with SCT need to be well-hydrated and follow heat acclimatization guidelines. Muscle cramps occur because of a lack of potassium.False: Often times, when experiencing a muscle cramp, people think it’s due to a lack of potassium and try to eat a banana for relief. But if athletes find that they are cramping often during athletic events, it is actually due to a loss of sodium from sweating. The risk of heat-related illnesses is a big concern as kids begin preseason training for outdoor sports like cross country, football and soccer. Knowing who is most at risk and how to prevent and recognize heat-related illness are critical steps to any summer sport training program. “Heat-related illnesses can be very serious. What may first appear as fatigue or mild cramps, can quickly progress to life-threatening heat stroke – and they often share the same initial symptoms like thirst, confusion and headache,” said Zaid Khatib, MD. “Too often people don’t recognize these signs as an athlete in distress, which is why athletes, coaches and parents need to have a strong awareness of heat-related illnesses and a well-established emergency plan to keep athletes safe.” Know the risk Before practices begin, understand that certain factors put athletes at greater risk of heat-related illness, including:
Prevention is best To help prevent heat-related illness, Dr. Khatib recommends allowing kids time to adjust to the heat and the physical demands of the sport. “Athletes should gradually adjust to heat over a period of 7 to 14 days, with gradual progression of duration and intensity of physical activity, duration of heat exposure and phasing in of equipment to avoid injury and illness,” added Dr. Khatib. Dr. Khatib also recommends:
Recognize the signs Heat-related illnesses are brought on when the body’s natural cooling systems have trouble keeping up during very hot, humid days, resulting in a rapid rise in body temperature. Early recognition and treatment of heat-related illnesses are key to avoiding serious complications. The 3 most common types are: Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps happen suddenly or are sometimes progressive, involuntary, painful contractions (or flexing) of muscles during or after exercise. Other symptoms may include thirst, fatigue/tired and sweating. Heat exhaustion occurs when an athlete has difficulty exercising effectively due to a combination of high temperatures, excessive sweating and inadequate fluid and salt replacement. Symptoms include:
Exertional Heat Stroke (EHS) occurs when the body’s heat-regulating system is overwhelmed by excessive heat. It is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical attention, and rapid cooling. Symptoms include:
“Summer training is important for athletes because it helps them build endurance and avoid injuries during the season, so it’s important that everyone is aware of how to manage hot conditions and know the signs an athlete is struggling to avoid a serious situation that could affect an athlete’s performance all season,” added Dr. Khatib. Akron Children’s Hospital supports local student-athletes by providing athletic training services at dozens of local high schools. Our athletic trainers work with the Akron Children’s sports medicine team to help diagnose and treat sports- and activity-related injuries and illnesses. For more information or to make an appointment, call 330-543-8260. |