Signs of heat related illnesses

With most of the country experiencing a heat wave this weekend, its no surprise that some of us could see a heat index of 100 degrees over the weekend. The problem is that during this extreme heat a lot of us are going to be participating in road races, outdoor activities, and even local downtown events. It is still safe to be outside but people should be on the lookout for heat related illnesses.

I went down to Poland High School to see how the football team trains in the heat and what they look out for when it comes to heat related illnesses. On top of moving practices to the morning, when it is cooler, they also make each player weigh themselves during each practice. Every players weight it monitored over the course of the summer and if the player looses close to ten pounds of water weight he will be pulled out of practice and monitored.

I was also told that each coach knows the first signs of heat sickness and what to do in a heat related case. Head athletic trainer Kirstie Bournias-Zemba told me over the phone that the first sign that the body is overheating is that the player stops sweating. This can also be associated with cramping and exhaustion. Once a player shows and signs of heat sickness they are immediately taken off the field and given fluids. She explained that once a player is in the shade and resting, if he does not start sweating in 5 mins then the parents are contacted and paramedics if parents can not be reached.

For the average person who will be involved in outdoor activities this weekend, Kirstie stresses that we need to drink as much water as possible when dealing with the heat. Also stay away from any caffeinated drinks or energy drinks. Caffeine can rob the body of needed water to stay hydrated while in the heat. So if you are in a road race or doing any strenuous activities this weekend here is a way you can watch how much fluid are in your body.

Weigh yourself before your workout, once you a done weigh yourself again and compare the two weights. If you lost more than 3 percent of your weight in a few hours then you are or on the verge of dehydration. That means if you weigh a 100 lbs then you shouldn't lose more than three pounds. The rest of the weight goes as such:

100 lbs-  3 lbs of water weight
133 lbs-  4 lbs of water weight
166 lbs-  5 lbs of water weight
200 lbs-  6 lbs of water weight
233 lbs-  7 lbs of water weight
266 lbs-  8 lbs of water weight
300 lbs-  9 lbs of water weight

This chart is just a guideline, if you are beginning to cramp or become disoriented please stop activities immediately and seek shade. Please be safe this weekend and watch out for those around you too.