Coaches, players and parents should be aware of safeguards

Kansas City, MO - infoZine - Health Departments in the metropolitan area issued a warning today to athletes, parents and coaches about participating in sports during hot weather. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, athletes who participate in vigorous workouts, especially when the heat index is in the 90s and above, are at high risk for developing heat-related illnesses.

While the elderly, young children and people with mental illnesses or chronic diseases are at the highest risk for heat-related illnesses, young and healthy individuals can succumb to heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities in hot weather.

The Health Departments encourage athletes to drink lots of water and to stay hydrated by not waiting until they feel thirsty to begin drinking.

"A good rule of thumb during hot weather is, if you are thirsty, you are already beginning to dehydrate," said Leon F. Vinci, DHA, director of Public Health for Johnson County.

If you are taking water pills or are on a fluid-restricted diet, check with your doctor to see how much you should drink when the weather is hot. Avoid caffeine and alcohol because both serve as diuretics and make the body dehydrate faster. Athletes should also avoid any performance-enhancing product that increases metabolism, because those also increase body temperature.

The Health Departments also encourage athletes to work out early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperatures are cooler. People should ease into the more strenuous activities like long runs or football, marching band or cheerleading practices to allow their bodies to acclimate to the heat. Nationally, most of the early season football heat stroke deaths and other heat illnesses have happened within the first four days of practice.

It is vital that coaches and parents act on these recommendations to support and encourage athletes in safer behaviors during periods of extreme heat.

For more information and heat tips, visit the American College of Sports Medicine Web site. ( PDF )

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