Safety Tips for Exercising in the Heat

Exercising in extreme heat and humidity, which are common during the high school Fall sport pre-season in the Catawba Valley,can place tremendous stress on your body, as well as expose athletes to heat-related medical conditions. The best way to avoid heat related issues is to exercise in the coolest parts of the day- the evenings or mornings, but the following tips offered by Bill Harvard, LAT, ATC, CSCS, CVMC Athletic Trainer at Newton-Conover High School, can help you safely exercise in the heat:

• Slowly increase volume, duration, and intensity of exercise over the course of several days

• Water or electrolyte drinks should be consumed before, during and after exercise, and throughout the day

• Eliminate or decrease, when possible, carbonated and caffeinated drinks, as they can contribute to dehydration

• Ideally, you should drink as much fluid as you lose in sweat, requiring you to weigh yourself before and after exercise (1 lb = 16 oz of fluid)

• Breaking up exercise sessions into shorter blocks with adequate rest periods is also important, as is allowing athletes who are struggling with the heat to stop and recover

• Have at least two hours between exercise/practice sessions

• Have body-cooling options such as towels soaked in cold/ice water, fans, shade tents, or cold-water immersion baths

• Anyone experiencing symptoms of heat illness such as dizziness, disorientation, cramping or nausea should stop exercising immediately and seek medical help

CVMC provides certified athletic trainers to Bandys, Bunker Hill, Maiden, Newton-Conover, and St. Stephens High Schools, as well as CVCC. For more information about protecting your athletes, contact Marcus Osborne, Director of Sports Medicine at 828-.26.2272.