Heat Illness
Summer is in high dear, so is the heat & humidity. That means you need to watch out for the warning signs & symptoms of Heat Illness. Often we forget to drink & hydrate ourselves properly & wisely during the summer months. Therefore, we need to consider looking for the Heat Index while we’re exercising outside.
Heat Illness is defined as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, & heat stroke. And is more likely in hot humid weather, but can occur in the absence of hot & humid conditions. Early warning signs of heat illness are often masked by general fatigue. “The first thing most people is they feel tired or lightheaded.”
Heat cramps are involuntary muscle cramps that are excruciatingly painful. They occur primarily in the muscles of the trunk and the lower body. The cause of heat cramps is thought to be dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Replenishing fluids and electrolytes, particularly sodium, is critically important in the prevention of heat cramps. Once an athlete has heat cramps, you may try icing or massaging the area that is cramping; however, the ultimate treatment is prevention by ensuring proper hydration strategies are in place.
Heat exhaustion is defined as an overload to the body’s thermoregulatory system resulting in extreme sweating and often, heavy breathing, rapid pulse, and fatigue. Heat cramps often occur, along with other systemic symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and an obvious outward appearance of distress. Players may try to continue playing, but they should not. Have them rest in a cool, shaded place; give them cool water; and apply ice to the neck, back, or stomach to help cool the body. Monitor them carefully in order to ensure their condition doesn’t worsen. In this stage of heat illness, the body’s thermoregulatory system is still working, but it is not able to keep up with current physical demands.
Heat stroke occurs when the body’s thermoregulatory system fails. The body can no longer cool itself, and the victim will die if formal treatment is not initiated. This is an emergency situation that requires emergency medical support. Treatment includes cooling procedures and intravenous fluids and electrolytes, as well as careful monitoring of all vital signs. The victim often is not sweating, has loss of memory and balance, and may lose consciousness. Failure to recognize this condition and to initiate immediate medical treatment can result in the victim’s permanent injury and even death.
Heat Illness is defined as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, & heat stroke. And is more likely in hot humid weather, but can occur in the absence of hot & humid conditions. Early warning signs of heat illness are often masked by general fatigue. “The first thing most people is they feel tired or lightheaded.”
Heat cramps are involuntary muscle cramps that are excruciatingly painful. They occur primarily in the muscles of the trunk and the lower body. The cause of heat cramps is thought to be dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Replenishing fluids and electrolytes, particularly sodium, is critically important in the prevention of heat cramps. Once an athlete has heat cramps, you may try icing or massaging the area that is cramping; however, the ultimate treatment is prevention by ensuring proper hydration strategies are in place.
Heat exhaustion is defined as an overload to the body’s thermoregulatory system resulting in extreme sweating and often, heavy breathing, rapid pulse, and fatigue. Heat cramps often occur, along with other systemic symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and an obvious outward appearance of distress. Players may try to continue playing, but they should not. Have them rest in a cool, shaded place; give them cool water; and apply ice to the neck, back, or stomach to help cool the body. Monitor them carefully in order to ensure their condition doesn’t worsen. In this stage of heat illness, the body’s thermoregulatory system is still working, but it is not able to keep up with current physical demands.
Heat stroke occurs when the body’s thermoregulatory system fails. The body can no longer cool itself, and the victim will die if formal treatment is not initiated. This is an emergency situation that requires emergency medical support. Treatment includes cooling procedures and intravenous fluids and electrolytes, as well as careful monitoring of all vital signs. The victim often is not sweating, has loss of memory and balance, and may lose consciousness. Failure to recognize this condition and to initiate immediate medical treatment can result in the victim’s permanent injury and even death.
10 STEPS TO SUCCEED IN THE HEAT:
1. Physically Prepare – The more physically fit the tennis player is, the less likelihood they will experience heat related issues
2. Drink, Drink, Drink – Drinking a combination of water and electrolyte enhanced beverages throughout the day, will help keep the tennis player well hydrated.
3. Don’t Rely on Thirst – Drink consistently, not just when thirsty. The body may be 2% dehydrated by the time thirst is experienced.
4. Increase Salt Content in Food and Drink – As salt is the major electrolyte lost in sweat, it is important to replace this important electrolyte throughout the day. Food that contains high salt contents are vegetable juice, canned soups, sports drinks, salted pretzels).
5. Use Ice and Other Cooling Mechanisms – Keeping the body cool before, during and after practice or competition is helpful in maintaining an appropriate body temperature. However, putting ice directly on muscles and joints during play is not advised due to the possibility of muscle and joint stiffening.
6. Appropriate fuel pre, during and post practice or match
7. Clothing - It is best to choose light colored, breathable and loosely woven fabrics to help sweat evaporate easily.
8. Sunscreen – In addition to helping reduce the instances of skin cancer, which is important for long-term health, applying liberal amounts of sunscreen will also prevent short-term sunburn that increases an athlete’s skin temperature and may make them more susceptible to heat related problems.
9. Acclimation – It is important to get the body adapted to a hot environment. Most occurrences of heat illness occur in the first 2-3 days of training or competition in a hot and humid environment.
10. Reduce contact with direct sunlight when not playing
1. Physically Prepare – The more physically fit the tennis player is, the less likelihood they will experience heat related issues
2. Drink, Drink, Drink – Drinking a combination of water and electrolyte enhanced beverages throughout the day, will help keep the tennis player well hydrated.
3. Don’t Rely on Thirst – Drink consistently, not just when thirsty. The body may be 2% dehydrated by the time thirst is experienced.
4. Increase Salt Content in Food and Drink – As salt is the major electrolyte lost in sweat, it is important to replace this important electrolyte throughout the day. Food that contains high salt contents are vegetable juice, canned soups, sports drinks, salted pretzels).
5. Use Ice and Other Cooling Mechanisms – Keeping the body cool before, during and after practice or competition is helpful in maintaining an appropriate body temperature. However, putting ice directly on muscles and joints during play is not advised due to the possibility of muscle and joint stiffening.
6. Appropriate fuel pre, during and post practice or match
7. Clothing - It is best to choose light colored, breathable and loosely woven fabrics to help sweat evaporate easily.
8. Sunscreen – In addition to helping reduce the instances of skin cancer, which is important for long-term health, applying liberal amounts of sunscreen will also prevent short-term sunburn that increases an athlete’s skin temperature and may make them more susceptible to heat related problems.
9. Acclimation – It is important to get the body adapted to a hot environment. Most occurrences of heat illness occur in the first 2-3 days of training or competition in a hot and humid environment.
10. Reduce contact with direct sunlight when not playing
| heat_illness_prevention_tips.doc |
| heat_index_chart.pdf |
Improving your Hydration Status
At some point, we have all heard, “Drink lots of water!” As the weather gets warmer—and in the Southeast gets downright sweltering— competitive sports players encounter a high heat index and hot conditions. These conditions make athletes targets for dehydration and heat illness. Water is good for us, but too much actually dilutes your body’s sodium levels low enough to increase other medical problems including muscle cramping.
So, what is adequate hydration?
Target a 10- 12 cup training diet base daily either of water or equivalent hydrating beverages.
Which beverages are best, and how do they fit into our overall eating plan?
Here are some answers.
The sports training diet should be focused on high-energy foods and appropriate hydration, timed appropriately before and after multiple competitions. The following guidelines help develop successful nutrition and hydration practices for players. Beverages and foods that count toward daily water intake:
• BEST: water, fitness waters, sport beverages, club soda, mineral water, and flavored water
• VERY GOOD: 100% fruit juices, lemonade, tomato and vegetable juices, low fat milk
• GOOD: raw fruits and vegetables
• SO-SO: soft drinks (diet soft drinks in moderation), decaffeinated coffee, yogurt
• NOT SO HELPFUL: caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, soda) and alcoholic beverages act as diuretics and do not count toward water intake
Pre-Match Eating and Hydration Guidelines: (Play Video)
Athletes need to pay special attention to their pre-match meal and beverage choices, as these foods and fluids may need to last for hours during longer match play.
Select pre-match meals and beverages that are:
• familiar and known to settle hunger
• high in carbohydrate to supply energy for muscle reserves, moderate in protein, and low in fat
• quickly and comfortably digested (not too high in fiber or fat); beware that some smoothies and higher protein sports drinks may be too heavy in your gastrointestinal tract before matches
Examples of pre-match meals and beverages rich in carbohydrate and fluids are pasta, sandwiches, fresh fruit, granola bars, higher carbohydrate energy bars, sports drinks and fitness waters.
Hydration tips before play: (Play Video)
• Limit/avoid caffeinated beverages (iced tea, coffee, cola), especially right before and after match play. These do not hydrate as well and act as diuretics
• The night before playing, fill and chill squeeze bottles or sports jugs and bring them to each practice and match. Have a minimum of two liters available courtside.
• Consume enough fluids throughout the day so urine is a light or pale yellow color before starting a match.
• Drink 17 to 20 oz of fluid within two hours pre-match and as close to match time as you can tolerate (for example, on the way to your match pre-hydrate)
Fluid Needs during Play: (Play Video)
Thirst is not an accurate indicator of hydration level. Adequate fluid consumption is a player’s best bet for beating dehydration and heat illness. To keep performing at your best, drink 7 to 10 oz of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes.
Favor sports drinks to enhance rehydration. Sports drinks contain carbohydrate and electrolytes, like sodium. Consuming carbohydrate during play has been shown to help players maintain more power and accuracy in serving and groundstrokes in long match play. For example, Gatorade contains 14 g carbohydrate per 8 oz, which is quickly absorbed and used by working muscles. Sodium replacement is also important since a significant amount of sodium can be lost through sweat during play. Recent research also shows that sports players can loose a great deal of sodium during long play in the heat, some male players losing up to 2 grams of sodium in a single session!
Post-Match Nutrition: (Play Video)
Eat foods and drink fluids that replenish muscle energy stores and electrolytes lost in competition. Here are some guidelines to follow:
• Eat or drink carbohydrates as soon as possible, preferably within the first 30 minutes of a match. Begin by drinking a sports drink or fitness water as you walk off the court or field.
• Replace 150 percent of body weight lost in sweat, or at least 20 oz per pound of sweat weight loss, within two hours of a match. A simple way to check this is to check your body weight both before and after a match to note the body weight change.
• Eat a high-carbohydrate meal that also contains a lean protein source within two hours after play to maximize muscle glycogen recovery (rebuild energy stores) and to support protein synthesis in muscle. Trying a fruit smoothie with protein powder or a sports meal replacement shake at this time can aid with this as well as provide some additional hydration.
• Additionally consider lightly salting foods and consuming beverages that are natural sodium sources such as tomato juice
Top ten ways to enhance your hydration status on the court
1. Drink 1 – 2 cups of water-based beverages (water, juice, milk) with every meal and snack. Target a 10 – 12 cup base minimum of these hydrating beverages per day.
2. If you consume caffeinated beverages, alternate non-caffeinated beverages between caffeinated beverages throughout the day
3. Limit caffeinated beverage intake after a certain time of day (for example, 1 pm)
4. Set a reasonable limit on coffee intake (for instance, 1 to 2 cups per day)
5. Substitute decaffeinated tea, soda, or coffee for some of your caffeinated drinks
6. Increase your food group sources of water and better meet your training diet food group needs through increasing vegetable/fruit juice and milk consumption (2 cups of vegetable/fruit juice = minimum 4 vegetables or fruit servings per day; 2 cups milk = minimum dairy intake per day)
7. Try calorie-free fruit flavored waters such as Schweppes or Fruit2O
8. Dilute juices with water
9. If you drink alcohol, consider alternating plain club soda with alcoholic beverages
10. Keep a water bottle with you at all times (freeze overnight so it stays cool on hot summer days
As you play sports in intense heat, remember in order to stay well conditioned, hydrate and fuel appropriately. When you follow these guidelines, you will be a powerful match to any opponent. Best luck with this summer season!
To learn more about Page Love Owner Nutrifit Sport Therapy, Inc please visit http://www.nutrifitga.com.
At some point, we have all heard, “Drink lots of water!” As the weather gets warmer—and in the Southeast gets downright sweltering— competitive sports players encounter a high heat index and hot conditions. These conditions make athletes targets for dehydration and heat illness. Water is good for us, but too much actually dilutes your body’s sodium levels low enough to increase other medical problems including muscle cramping.
So, what is adequate hydration?
Target a 10- 12 cup training diet base daily either of water or equivalent hydrating beverages.
Which beverages are best, and how do they fit into our overall eating plan?
Here are some answers.
The sports training diet should be focused on high-energy foods and appropriate hydration, timed appropriately before and after multiple competitions. The following guidelines help develop successful nutrition and hydration practices for players. Beverages and foods that count toward daily water intake:
• BEST: water, fitness waters, sport beverages, club soda, mineral water, and flavored water
• VERY GOOD: 100% fruit juices, lemonade, tomato and vegetable juices, low fat milk
• GOOD: raw fruits and vegetables
• SO-SO: soft drinks (diet soft drinks in moderation), decaffeinated coffee, yogurt
• NOT SO HELPFUL: caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, soda) and alcoholic beverages act as diuretics and do not count toward water intake
Pre-Match Eating and Hydration Guidelines: (Play Video)
Athletes need to pay special attention to their pre-match meal and beverage choices, as these foods and fluids may need to last for hours during longer match play.
Select pre-match meals and beverages that are:
• familiar and known to settle hunger
• high in carbohydrate to supply energy for muscle reserves, moderate in protein, and low in fat
• quickly and comfortably digested (not too high in fiber or fat); beware that some smoothies and higher protein sports drinks may be too heavy in your gastrointestinal tract before matches
Examples of pre-match meals and beverages rich in carbohydrate and fluids are pasta, sandwiches, fresh fruit, granola bars, higher carbohydrate energy bars, sports drinks and fitness waters.
Hydration tips before play: (Play Video)
• Limit/avoid caffeinated beverages (iced tea, coffee, cola), especially right before and after match play. These do not hydrate as well and act as diuretics
• The night before playing, fill and chill squeeze bottles or sports jugs and bring them to each practice and match. Have a minimum of two liters available courtside.
• Consume enough fluids throughout the day so urine is a light or pale yellow color before starting a match.
• Drink 17 to 20 oz of fluid within two hours pre-match and as close to match time as you can tolerate (for example, on the way to your match pre-hydrate)
Fluid Needs during Play: (Play Video)
Thirst is not an accurate indicator of hydration level. Adequate fluid consumption is a player’s best bet for beating dehydration and heat illness. To keep performing at your best, drink 7 to 10 oz of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes.
Favor sports drinks to enhance rehydration. Sports drinks contain carbohydrate and electrolytes, like sodium. Consuming carbohydrate during play has been shown to help players maintain more power and accuracy in serving and groundstrokes in long match play. For example, Gatorade contains 14 g carbohydrate per 8 oz, which is quickly absorbed and used by working muscles. Sodium replacement is also important since a significant amount of sodium can be lost through sweat during play. Recent research also shows that sports players can loose a great deal of sodium during long play in the heat, some male players losing up to 2 grams of sodium in a single session!
Post-Match Nutrition: (Play Video)
Eat foods and drink fluids that replenish muscle energy stores and electrolytes lost in competition. Here are some guidelines to follow:
• Eat or drink carbohydrates as soon as possible, preferably within the first 30 minutes of a match. Begin by drinking a sports drink or fitness water as you walk off the court or field.
• Replace 150 percent of body weight lost in sweat, or at least 20 oz per pound of sweat weight loss, within two hours of a match. A simple way to check this is to check your body weight both before and after a match to note the body weight change.
• Eat a high-carbohydrate meal that also contains a lean protein source within two hours after play to maximize muscle glycogen recovery (rebuild energy stores) and to support protein synthesis in muscle. Trying a fruit smoothie with protein powder or a sports meal replacement shake at this time can aid with this as well as provide some additional hydration.
• Additionally consider lightly salting foods and consuming beverages that are natural sodium sources such as tomato juice
Top ten ways to enhance your hydration status on the court
1. Drink 1 – 2 cups of water-based beverages (water, juice, milk) with every meal and snack. Target a 10 – 12 cup base minimum of these hydrating beverages per day.
2. If you consume caffeinated beverages, alternate non-caffeinated beverages between caffeinated beverages throughout the day
3. Limit caffeinated beverage intake after a certain time of day (for example, 1 pm)
4. Set a reasonable limit on coffee intake (for instance, 1 to 2 cups per day)
5. Substitute decaffeinated tea, soda, or coffee for some of your caffeinated drinks
6. Increase your food group sources of water and better meet your training diet food group needs through increasing vegetable/fruit juice and milk consumption (2 cups of vegetable/fruit juice = minimum 4 vegetables or fruit servings per day; 2 cups milk = minimum dairy intake per day)
7. Try calorie-free fruit flavored waters such as Schweppes or Fruit2O
8. Dilute juices with water
9. If you drink alcohol, consider alternating plain club soda with alcoholic beverages
10. Keep a water bottle with you at all times (freeze overnight so it stays cool on hot summer days
As you play sports in intense heat, remember in order to stay well conditioned, hydrate and fuel appropriately. When you follow these guidelines, you will be a powerful match to any opponent. Best luck with this summer season!
To learn more about Page Love Owner Nutrifit Sport Therapy, Inc please visit http://www.nutrifitga.com.
| hydration_poster.pdf |
