Heat stress injury in sports activities
Heat stress from hot summer weather can result in sudden, catastrophic -- and preventable -- injury to student athletes or summer camp participants. The Center for Disease Control reports that heat stress is a leading cause of death and disability among high school athletes with an estimated 9,300 injuries occurring annually.

Football players are at higher risk of heat stress injuries, as are youth who are overweight, fatigued, or out of condition. Sixty-six percent of all heat-related injuries to student athletes occur during the month of August. Coaches, trainers and and summer counselors should be aware of the risks of heat-related illness, and be able to recognize the symptoms and respond quickly to a medical emergency.

Types of heat-related illnesses:

• Heat Exhaustion has symptoms that include fatigue, nausea, fainting, dizziness, flushed skin, vomiting, and body temperature between 98.6 and 105 degrees F.
• Heat Stroke, a severe medical emergency, has symptoms that include body temperature between 104 and 105 degrees F,  irrational behavior, irritability, emotional instability, altered consciousness, collapse, coma, and dizziness. 
• Heat Cramps are painful involuntary muscle contractions, often in the legs, arms, or abdomen. Heat cramps usually occur when the body is not properly conditioned and more subject to fatigue.

Ways to prevent heat-stress illnesses:

• Allow time to acclimatize. Athletes should adapt to exercise gradually over 10 to 14 days, with increasing duration and intensity of activity.
• Athletes should be taught to recognize heat exhaustion and heat stroke symptoms so that they know to slow, modify, or stop a workout before a medical emergency arises.
• Athletes should have unrestricted access to fluids. Good hydration before and during exercise can help prevent heat illnesses. Thirst is felt after the body has already become dehydrated.
• Schedule adequate rest breaks in shaded areas during high heat. There is no simple cut-off temperature point -- the ambient temperature, humidity, wind, sun, and type of field (artificial turf is hotter than grass) are all factors. Make sure someone is equipped and responsible for monitoring weather conditions; wet bulb globe monitoring measure is considered best.
• Have response supplies in place. See the  Exertional Heat Stroke Prevention & Survival - PDF.

Contact your CIRMA Risk Management Consultant to learn more about our risk management programs.