Video: Heat illness prevention
Proper hydration and knowing the warning signs can go a long way.
A massive heat wave that blistered roughly one-third of the country last week offered one warning sign.
The July 18 death from heat stroke of former
NFL lineman Mitch Petrus offered another.
With football practices hitting full tilt around the nation, combating heat illness and promoting hydration will no doubt be at the top of every coach's playbook.
According to the latest annual report of the
National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, 148 heat-stroke related deaths occurred in high school football since 1960. That's approximately 2.5 per year.
Since the 2001 training camp death of Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman
Korey Stringer, preventative measures to fight exertional heat stroke (EHS), heat cramps and heat exhaustion at every level of football — and all sports — have grown exponentially.
Furthering the studies and concerns have been a warmer climate, leading to 20 EHS deaths in high school football from 2010-15, the highest numbers of fatalities in a five-year window than any time in the past 40 years.
"The warmer climate, coupled with the fact that today's youth spend more time than ever before in air conditioned facilities, sets them up as potential victim," wrote David Csillan, a certified athletic trainer for
Ewing (Trenton, N.J.).
Preparation weeks before players actually put on the pads is key, according to experts.
Photo by Heston Quan
Csillan wrote a
2017 cover story in
High School Today, the magazine for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), entitled "Dangers of Heat Illness Reduced by Following Proper Guidelines."
In it, he debunks three key myths of EHS — it only occurs when ambient temperatures reach 100 degrees, and athletes must be severely dehydrated and/or stop sweating during EHS episodes. He also advises several key remedies heading into workouts or if a student/athlete appears to be experiencing EHS.
"It's important for athletic trainers, coaches and school administrators to get a tune-up on potentially what lies ahead," Csillan wrote. "With a little advance planning, the risk of your athletes experiencing a catastrophic event due to exertional heat illness will be significantly decreased."
He refers readers to several educational sites on the topic. Among them:
NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINERS' ASSOCIATION: Click here
There can never be too much education and data, Carolina Panthers safety
Eric Reid told us in 2014.
When he was a 13-year-old eighth-grader in Geismar, La,, he recalled being particularly thirsty on a typical sweltering summer's day in the deep South.
"I was at my grandmother's downing every kind of soda I could get my hands on," Reid said. "It was one carbonated drink after another after another."
The next day at his middle school football practice, Reid got lightheaded, dehydrated and felt "like I was about to pass out." He knew the symptoms of heat exhaustion. Luckily too, he said, so did his coach. Reid was fine, but changed forever.
"Literally, to this day, I don't drink anything carbonated," he said. "I learned then everything I needed to know about the importance of hydration. Everyone should know it especially if you're an athlete, especially if you're from the South.
"I was born and raised in a place where the heat can kill you. Literally."
That's why Reid preaches the importance of hydration and precaution well before training camp. A Gatorade Sports Science Institute study recently showed as many as 70 percent of high school players show up for practice inadequately hydrated.
"If you're feeling lightheaded and thirsty on a football field it's probably too late," Reid said.
