HEAT

ILLNESS

BROCK MOREAUX

HHP 637

HEAT ILLNESS

• Heat illness occurs whenever someone is exposed to

abnormal or prolonged amounts of heat and humidity

without relief or adequate fluid intake.

• When an athlete exercises, the body's temperature rises

and the responds with sweat to cool itself down. During

this process, body fluid as well as critical electrolytes are

lost. If the body isn't replenished with fluids and

electrolytes, dehydration may occur and increase the risk

of a heat illness such as heat stroke.

OCCURRENCE:

• Heat related illness and death are on the rise

• Heat illness during practice or competition is a LEADING cause of preventable death and disability among U.S. high school athletes

• Heat stroke, a severe form of heat-related illness, is one of the three leading causes of death amongst all athletes.

• Children and adolescents are more prone to heat illness because they produce more heat than adults and sweat less.

• Overweight or athletes competing with heavy uniforms (marching band, football players) are also more vulnerable to heat illness.

OCCURRENCE CONTINUED:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/2011-08-15-heat-stroke-still-causing-death-in-athletes_n.htm

FORMS OF HEAT

ILLNESS

There are 3 main types of heat illness:

1. Heat Cramps

2. Heat Exhaustion

3. Heat Stroke

• You can tell the severity of heat illness by the symptoms

involved. The common symptoms associated with heat

illness are:

1. Chills

2. Dark colored urine

3. Dizziness

4. Dry mouth

5. Headaches

6. Thirst

7. Weakness

SYMPTOMS OF HEAT

ILLNESS

HEAT CRAMPS

• Mildest form of heat illness.

• Heat cramps are painful muscle cramps and spasms that occur

during or after intense exercise and sweating in high heat or

humidity.

• Heat cramps occurs from dehydration, electrolyte imbalance,

and neuromuscular fatigue.

TREATING HEAT CRAMPS

If an athlete starts to show symptoms of heat cramps,

treatment should include:

1. Move the athlete to a cool place to rest.

2. Remove any excess clothing and place cool cloths over

the athletes neck and head or if not available simply fan

skin.

3. Consume cool sports drinks (Gatorade) containing salt

and sugar.

4. Stretch the athletes cramped muscles slowly and gently.

HEAT EXHAUSTION

• Heat exhaustion is more severe than heat cramps and results

from a loss of water and salt in the body.

• Heat exhaustion is the inability to exercise or play and includes

heavy sweating, dehydration, sodium loss, and energy

depletion.

• Heat exhaustion occurs most frequently in hot, humid

conditions.

• If left untreated, heat exhaustion can progress into heat stroke

HEAT EXHAUSTION SYMPTOMS

1. Muscle cramps

2. Fever

3. Nausea

4. Vomiting

5. Diarrhea

6. Fatigue

7. Weakness

8. Pale skin.

TREATING HEAT EXHAUSTION

If an athlete starts to show symptoms of heat exhaustion, treatment should include:

1. Move the athlete to a cool place to rest.

2. Remove any excess clothing or padding and place cool cloths over the athletes neck and head or if not available simply fan skin.

3. Consume cool sports drinks (Gatorade) containing salt and sugar.

4. If no improvement are shown or if the athlete is unable to take fluids, call a doctor or take the athlete to an emergency department immediately. IV (intravenous) fluids may be needed.

HEAT STROKE

• Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness

• Heat stroke occurs when the body's heat-regulating system is

overwhelmed by excessive heat and if not treated can

progress to complete thermoregulatory system failure.

• This condition is life threatening and can be fatal unless

promptly recognized and treated.

HEAT STROKE SYMPTOMS

1. Dry skin

2. High fever (over 104F)

3. Rapid heart rate

4. Nausea

5. Vomiting

6. Headache

7. Fatigue

8. Lethargy

9. Stupor

10. Seizures

11. Coma

12. Possible death.

TREATING HEAT STROKE

If an athlete starts to show symptoms of heat stroke, treatment should include:

1. Move the athlete to a cool place to rest.

2. Call 911 or your local emergency medical service immediately. Heat stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency and needs to be treated by a doctor.

3. Remove any excess clothing or padding and place cool cloths over the athletes neck and head or if not available simply fan skin.

4. Place ice bags on the athlete’s armpits and groin areas.

5. Offer cool fluids if the athlete is alert and able to drink.

HEAT EXHAUSTION VS. HEAT STROKE

• Important symptoms to pay attention to when differing Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

are skin and body temperature and pupil size.

PREVENTION:

Death from Heat Illness is PREVENTABLE and can be reduced by:

1. Drinking lots of fluids before, during and after exercise and

activities

2. Performing proper training to get acclimated to the heat

3. Trying to wear lighter clothing and loose fitted clothing to

reduce heat consumption.

4. Coaches and parents should monitor athlete’s closely to catch

early symptoms.

5. Coaches should adjust the intensity of physical activity

according to the fitness of the athlete and heat.

PREVENTION

Another important prevention method is monitoring of heat

and humidity to know whenever athletes are more vulnerable.

HYDRATION:

• One of the most important factors to reducing heat illness is staying

hydrated.

• Athletes can stay hydrated by:

1. Hydration should begin before the exercise period. Drinking 16

ounces of water or a sports drink 1 hour before exercise and then

continue with 4-8 ounces of fluid every 15-20 minutes.

2. The type of fluid is also important. Water is best for events lasting

less than 1 hour. For events that last more than 1 hour, the athlete

should drink fluid with carbohydrates, sodium, and potassium

such as Gatorade.

3. Weighing oneself before and after activity provides good way to on

tell level of hydration. If the athlete is lighter after exercyse, then it

is likely a fluid deficit has occurred and it's necessary to replace

the weight loss by drinking more.

RISK FACTORS AND

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

Although hydration is very important, other factors to monitor that

increases chances of heat illness include:

• Obese, out of shape athletes

• Athletes with fever or recent respiratory infections

• Athletes with sickle cell anemia

• Athletes with prior heat illness history

• Athletes who take illicit drugs such as ADD medication

PUBLIC/COMMUNITY HEALTH

AGENCIES WHO SUPPORT

• California is currently one of the nation leaders in heat illness and prevention

• Every year in California, at least 600 people experience heat illness and 3 have already died in 2014.

• To help improve working standards in hot conditions has proposed the SUPPORT WORKSAFE’S EFFORTS changes which include

1. Increasing workers training

2. Lowering the threshold for high heat procedures from 95°F to 85°F

3. Mandating paid 10-minute recovery breaks for agricultural workers every two hours when temperatures reach 95°F.

CONCLUSION/DISCUSSION

This research has shown how important it is to monitor

athletes competing in hot and humid conditions to prevent

heat illness. If left alone, heat illness can eventually turn into

heat stroke which can become life threatening. Therefore,

athletes should be sure to hydrate properly, dress properly,

and monitor training to prevent heat illness. If symptoms

start to occur, action should be taken immediately starting

with taking a break in the shade and cooling the athlete with

cold clothes and fluid. If heat stroke symptoms occur, call

911 for immediate assistance. Heat illness is a very

preventable health problem is proper actions are taken

REFERENCES

Bass, P. (n.d.). University of Rochester Medical Center. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=90&ContentID=P01611

Casa, D. (n.d.). Become an Advocate for Sports Safety. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/heat-illness.aspx

Heat Illness Amongst High School Athletes. (2010, August 20). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5932a1.htm

REFERENCES

Binkley, H., & Beckett, J. (n.d.). National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC164365/#B21

Brady, E. (2011, July 15). Heat-related illness still deadly problem for athletes - USATODAY.com. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/2011-08-15-heat-stroke-still-causing-death-in-athletes_n.htm

FMST Student Manual - 2008 Web Edition*. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.operationalmedicine.org/TextbookFiles/FMST_20008/FMST_1403.htm

REFERENCES

Warm Weather Workout Woes: What You Need to Know To

Stay Fit and Healthy Safely. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21,

2014, from http://healthfulwriter.com/2014/06/06/warm-

weather-workout-woes-what-you-need-to-know-to-stay-fit-

and-healthy-safely/

Support California leading the nation in heat illness

prevention. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2014, from

http://www.worksafe.org/2014/09/support-california-leading-

the-nation-in-heat-illness-prevention.html