作者
Earl Robert Cooper
发表日期
2004
机构
University of Georgia
简介
Athletic trainers must consider environmental conditions when making decisions concerning football practices. Those working in southern settings are faced with stressful environmental conditions often associated with the late summer and early fall. Strategies to minimize heat stress include proper acclimatization, hydration, conditioning, heat illness recognition, and weather monitoring. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate of exertional heat illness (EHI) in athletes during a three month period (August-October) at five southeastern universities. The Heat Stroke Checker (KEM Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Ltd; Japan) was used to measure environmental conditions three times a day at each location. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Department of Defense (DOD) Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) Heat Stress Index Charts were used to identify the levels of heat illness risk. Heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and hyponatremia were evaluated based on the NATA Exertional Heat Illness position statement. A reportable injury was any athlete who incurred a heat related illness evaluated by the medical staff. A total of 139 heat-illnesses were reported with an EHI rate of 4.19/1000 athlete-exposures (AE) during the three-month period. No cases of heat stroke or hyponatremia were reported. Evaluating each month individually, the greatest number of EHI’s occurred during August (88%) with an EHI rate of 8.95/1000 AE. During August, the EHI rate was 6.31/1000 AE for heat cramps,
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