Hot Start To August Brings
Safety Advice From UC's Walker

Almost everyone realizes special risks exist for athletes working out in extreme heat. But parents and family members don't always know what role they can play in keeping young athletes safe.

Bill Walker, assistant athletic director/sports medicine and UC's head athletic trainer, advises parents to monitor their athletes' intake and output before and after workouts. "Hydration is very important. They have to drink as much and as frequently as their bodies will allow them," Walker says.

Prior to leaving for practice in the heat, athletes need to take in at least 20 ounces of water or electrolyte drink. During workouts, fluid breaks must be taken at least every 15 minutes. The key time, he emphasizes, is the period that comes 10-15 minutes after the end of the workout. Athletes need at least another 20 ounces of fluid restored then.

"A real good key for parents to share can be that if (an athlete's) urine is dark yellow, they're not getting enough fluids. Urine needs to look more like a pale color, like Mountain Dew," Walker says. "It's like anything else -- extremes are not good. If urine looks like water, that's bad, and if it looks too dark, that's a bad sign."

Athletes should also increase their intake of solid foods in preparing or recovering from the heat, with an emphasis on foods low in caffeine and high in salt to replace what is lost during heavy workouts. "The caveat is this all needs to be in conjunction with consideration for any medical conditions they may have," Walker says. If there's any doubt, he advises checking with a family physician.

In a summary he shared with UC coaches prior to the start of summer conditioning for their athletes, emphasis was placed on hydration guidelines, keeping a close watch on any asthmatic athletes, and recognition of heat illness.

Specific information on heat illness from the NCAA can be found at www.ncaa.org/sports_sciences/sports_med_handbook/2c.pdf.

Below is a listing of tips for staying safe in the heat provided by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute:

Allow for acclimatization (adaptation) in hot seasons. Cut back on exercise intensity and duration in hot weather. Slowly build back to previous level over the next 10 days.

Drink up when it's hot. Once acclimatized, sweat losses will be higher, so fluid intake has to be greater.

Don't be overly competitive under hot conditions. Try for a personal best on a cooler day.

Don't just pour water over your head. It may feel great, but it won't help at all at restoring body fluids or lowering body temperature. Fluid has to go in the body.

Carry sports drinks, like Gatorade, with you if you know they will not be available at the exercise site. Bottle belts are great for this. Also carry money to buy something to drink.

Select lightly flavored, sweetened beverages containing sodium. Sodium has been scientifically proven to encourage voluntary drinking and promote hydration.

Exercise in the morning or evening when the weather is coolest.

Avoid the sun's rays to minimize the radiant heat load.

Wear light-colored, light-weight porous clothing.

Do not change into a dry shirt at breaks or time-outs. Completely soaked shirts do better at cooling the body.