Originally published September 4 2005
How to prevent heat stroke and injuries in athletes
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Increasing practice time and intensity and ensuring that football players are replacing lost fluids during training are two ways to significantly reduce the risk of heat stress and injury to athletes, WebMD.com reports.
Progressively increasing practice time and intensity and ensuring that football players are replacing lost fluids during training are two ways to significantly reduce the risk of heat stress and injury during preseason practice, a recent expert panel convened by the American College of Sports Medicine found.
Coaches also should allow enough recovery between practices and gradually introduce parts of the uniform, experts say.
"What we've found is that most players typically begin practice dehydrated -- pretty significantly dehydrated," Dr. Bergeron says.
Players are often simply not acclimated to the environment, the intensity of practice and the uniform, he says.
"What coaches and staff need to recognize and appreciate is that the athletes are not coming into the preseason as well-conditioned as they might hope," Dr. Bergeron says.
"High school kids are going to be less fit and not only are they not accustomed to the physical exertion that workouts require, they're not really acclimatized to the heat and working out in that environment, especially while wearing a uniform and protective gear."
To help protect ill-prepared players, coaches should introduce a training schedule that progresses slowly -- waiting until week two to introduce twice-daily conditioning and training sessions, experts say.
"Most heat-related injuries and deaths occur within the first four days of practice, particularly on days one and two," Dr. Bergeron says.
During the first week of practice, protective equipment should be introduced in stages, starting with the helmet, progressing to shoulder pads and helmet and, finally, to the full uniform, the authors write.
Also, twice-daily practice sessions, once introduced, should be staggered throughout the week to allow for at least a one-day break between multiple-session days.
And even if the temperature outside hasn't reached the boiling point, players and coaches should still take precautions.
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