SPORTS
Summer break is slowly coming to an end, which means fall sports will be starting sooner than later. Before the official fall season starts up, kids must endure the dreaded preseason! This time of the year can be tough and there are certain things students, coaches, parents, and athletic trainers need to take into consideration to keep kids safe. The summer temperatures are still in full force and kids are susceptible to heat illnesses and dehydration.
Here are some tips to consider this preseason…
1. (Don’t) Use your head: There are between 1.6 million and 3.8 million brain injuries occurring in sports each year and 63,000 occur in high school sports alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s important that student athletes, parents, and medical team are well educated on concussion prevention and management. Athletes should be encouraged to speak up if hit in the head and if they suffer any related symptoms including dizziness, loss of memory, light headiness, fatigue, or imbalance.
2. Get your athlete "baseline" tested. This is typically a neuro-cognitive test that measures memory, language and process speed prior to concussion injury. It establishes a baseline score for the athlete, which is used for comparison to assess the degree of injury and the athlete’s return to play.
3. Acclimatize to heat gradually. Practices for the first two weeks should be shorter and less intense and this should also be the case on abnormally hot or humid days. Athletes should always be encouraged to initiate their own conditioning program during the summer in order to build their cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
4. Account for heat and humidity. Both the temperature and relative humidity should be taken into account in determining the length of practice sessions. Practices held on hot days should be scheduled in cooler parts of the day. It has been suggested that if the sum of the temperature and relative humidity are greater than or equal to 160, special precautions must be taken. If the sum is greater than 180, practice and or games should be cancelled.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") Heat Index
Individual reactions to heat will vary. Studies indicate that the susceptibility to heat disorders tends to increase with age. Exposure to full sunshine can increase Heat Index values by up to 15° F.
How to use Heat Index
1. Locate on the chart above the current Air Temperature down left side
2. Locate the current Relative Humidity across the top
3. Follow across and down to find Apparent Temperature (what it feels like to the body)
Heat Illness Risk
Apparent Temperature
• 80° - 90° - Exercise caution (dehydration likely if inadequate fluids consumed)
• 91° - 103° - Exercise extreme caution (Heat cramps or heat exhaustion possible)
• 104° - 124° - Danger (Heat stroke possible)
• 125° and up – Extreme Danger (Exertional Heatstroke highly likely)
5. Provide for frequent breaks. Adjust the activity level and provide frequent rest periods during hot weather (at least 15 minutes per hour of practice). Athletes should rest in shaded areas; helmets should be removed, and jerseys should be loosened or removed.
6. Rehydrate. Cold water or sports drinks should be available in unlimited quantities to players. Scheduled water breaks should be strictly enforced.
7. Weigh athletes before and after practice. As an extra precaution, athletes should be weighed before and after each practice to monitor water loss. Weight loss greater than 3% indicates a substantial risk and 5% a significant danger to the student athlete.
8. No heavy or wet clothing. During practice athletes should wear cooling clothing such as shorts and fish net jerseys. Sweat saturated t-shirts should be changed often because they retain heat. Helmets should be used sparingly in hot weather.
9. Parent monitoring. Parents should monitor all practices and games, with the responsibility shared on a rotating basis among all parents of student athletes. If a parent observes an unsafe situation developing, he or she should immediately bring it to the attention of the coach.
10. Identify athletes at greater risk. Some athletes are more susceptible to heat illness than others. Identify and observe closely those at greatest risk of heat illness, including those who are poorly conditioned, overweight, have an acute illness, or have cystic fibrosis, diabetes, or mental retardation. Student athletes with a previous history of heat illness should be watched closely during practices and hot weather.
11. Learn the warning signs. It is imperative that all coaches, parents, and players are on the lookout for signs of dehydration or heat illness, such as fatigue, lethargy, inattention, stupor, and/or awkwardness. An athlete exhibiting any of these signs should be immediately removed from participation, cooled down and placed in a shaded environment.
