Please take time to read the following advice and information provided by our trainers on:
Prevention of Heat Illness
Proper Nutrition and Hydration
Eat well-balanced meals for breakfast and supper and eat sensible snacks during breaks from games.
Drink water, juices and sport drinks throughout the day. If you wait until you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Avoid sodas. Try to drink 8 ounces of water, sport drinks or juices every 30 to 60 minutes.
Check urine color. The clearer it is, the more hydrated you are. If it is very yellow, you need increased fluid intake.
D. Read medication, supplement, and drug labels to see if it has precautions with sun or warm weather.
Avoid the Sun
Wear sunscreen.
Stay in the shade when possible, especially between games.
Wear light-colored clothing.
Stay off feet between games.
What is Heat illness?
It has several degrees of symptoms related to the effects of temperature, humidity and the sun.
1. Heat cramps are involuntary spasms of muscles typically in the calves and hamstrings.
Symptoms: Muscle spasm (tightening of muscles) associated with pain.
Treatment: Stretch affected area, cool affected area, drink fluids.
2. Heat exhaustion is the second level of heat illness.
Symptoms: Profuse sweating, cool pale skin, nausea, headache, dizziness, weakness and elevated
temperature.
Treatment: Cool the body with towels, get out of the sun, sip water. If they lose consciousness or become disoriented, call EMS.
3. Heat Stroke is the most serious form of heat illness and could be potentially life-threatening.
Symptoms: High body temperature, red and dry skin, absence of sweating, rapid pulse, incoherence, and possible lack of consciousness.
Treatment: Call EMS immediately and try to decrease body temperature until help arrives.
Musculoskeletal Injuries
Strain is an injury to the muscle or tendon (connect muscle to bone).
Sprain is an injury to the ligaments (connect bone to bone) involving a joint.
Contusion is an inflammation of soft tissue usually the result of a direct blow to that area.
All of the above conditions could result in pain, swelling, increased temperature, decreased range of motion and bruising.
First aid for the above injuries should include R.I.C.E.S.
R = REST: Try to stay off or decrease use of the affected body part
I= ICE: Apply ice to the injured area for 15 to 20 minutes. This can be repeated after 20 minutes without ice. Never use heat in the early stages of an injury because it may actually increase swelling.
C= COMPRESSION: Use an ACE wrap or compression bandage around the swollen area. If it is an extremity, start on the farthest spot from the body and wrap towards the body. For example, if you sprained your ankle, begin wrapping starting just above the toes and ending in the middle of the calf. If your fingers or toes turn blue and/or tingle you may have placed the ACE wrap on too tight. Remove ACE wrap and rewrap with slightly less compression.
E= ELEVATION Try to elevate the extremity above the level of your heart to decrease the amount of inflammation. Any amount of elevation is better than nothing.
S= SUPPORT Use any assistance such as crutches, walking boot, brace, or arm swing that may make walking easier, decrease pain, or immobilize the affected area.
Head Injury
There has been a lot of recent research on head injuries, specifically concussions. A concussion is an injury or agitation to the brain by a direct or indirect blow that may cause transient impairment. Too often athletes are returning to competition before their symptoms are gone. There are increasing incidents of Second Impact Injuries, which result when athletes return to their sport before being symptom-free and have another blow to their head (sometimes seemingly minor), which has resulted in serious injury and in some cases death.
Signs and Symptoms of a Concussion
Dizziness
Disorientation
Vomiting
Lack of Balance
Amnesia (loss of memory)
Headache
Vision problems (blurry, trouble focusing, or a glazed look)
Change in Personality
Athletes should not return to the game unless they are symptom-free for 20 minutes (that includes headaches). Even an athlete who seems “normal” may have increased symptoms after two or three hours. If this happens, go to the Emergency Room immediately, because it could be a very serious head injury that develops slowly over time. If athletes lose consciousness, it should be assumed they have a serious neck injury and must be transported by EMS. DO NOT MOVE the athlete. If a neck injury is ruled out by a medical professional, the athlete who lost consciousness should not return to the sport until cleared by a physician.
If you ever have questions concerning any injury, err on the side of caution. Have a Licensed Athletic Trainer or other medical professionals who are knowledgeable about evaluating sports injuries take a look at the injured body part. If a health professional is not available, take the athlete to a physician, urgent care facility or emergency room.
