Table of Contents

» Introduction
» 01. Hydration for Health & Performance
» 02. Water Bottle Safety
» 03. Head Protection
» 04. Grass Field Hazards
» 05. Turf Field Hazards
» 06. Shin Pads and Boot Selection
» 07. Hot Weather Conditions
» 08. Cold Weather Conditions
» 09. Soccer Goal Safety
» 10. Stretching: When, Why, How
» 11. Soccer Injuries
» 12. Miscellaneous Soccer Safety Tips

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7. Hot Weather Conditions

"Children do not regulate body heat as well as adults. Therefore active children are more susceptible to heat illness"

As chairman of the Sports Injury Advisory Group to the Governor of Michigan, Dr. David Janda MD helped develop some guidelines on preventing heat stroke among football players, guidelines that are applicable to every sport and recreational activity.

His recommendations included:

• Acclimatize to heat gradually. Practices for the first week to 10 days should be shorter and less intense, as should practices on abnormally hot or humid days. In addition athletes should be encouraged to initiate their own conditioning program several months prior to the beginning of the season. During the hottest weather practice sessions should be scheduled in cooler parts of the day.
  
• Account for heat and humidity. Both the temperature and relative humidity should be taken into account in determining the length of practice sessions. It has been suggested that if the sum of the temperature and relative humidity are greater than or equal to 160, special precautions must be taken. If the sum is greater than 180, practice and or games should be cancelled.
  
• Provide for frequent breaks. Adjust the activity level and provide frequent rest periods during hot weather (at least 15 minutes per hour of practice). Athletes should rest in shaded areas; jerseys should be loosened or removed.
  
• Rehydrate. Cold water or sports drinks should be available in unlimited quantities to players. Scheduled water breaks should be strictly enforced. See Chapter 1 for more details.
  
• No salt tablets. Salt should be replaced through salting of food or beverage, not salt tablets.
  
• Weigh athletes before and after practice. Athletes should be weighed before and after each practice to monitor water loss. Weight loss greater than 3% indicates a substantial risk and 5% a significant danger to the student athlete.
  
• No heavy or wet clothing. During practice athletes should wear cooling clothing such as shorts and fish net jerseys. Sweat saturated t-shirts should be changed often because they retain heat.
  
• Parent monitoring. Parents should monitor all practices and games, with the responsibility shared on a rotating basis among all parents of student athletes. If a parent observes an unsafe situation developing, he or she should immediately bring it to the attention of the coach.
  
• Identify athletes at greater risk. Some athletes are more susceptible to heat illness than others. Identify and observe closely those at greatest risk of heat illness, including those who are poorly conditioned, overweight, have an acute illness, or have cystic fibrosis, diabetes, or mental retardation. Student athletes with a previous history of heat illness should be watched closely during practices and hot weather.
  
• Learn the warning signs. It is imperative that all coaches, parents, and players are on the lookout for signs of dehydration or heat illness, such as fatigue, lethargy, inattention, stupor, and/or awkwardness. An athlete exhibiting any of these signs should be immediately removed from participation, cooled down and placed in a shaded environment.

I think Dr. Janda summed it all up nicely. Some of the temperatures during training in Libya reached 44 degrees C (111.2 degrees F) and all his recommendations are absolutely on the mark. We often had two or even three a day practice sessions so that sessions were intense yet brief, and performed during the cooler parts of the day.

In Chapter 1 we looked at signs of dehydration. In hot weather especially dehydration can progress to a more severe heat exhaustion.

If your player develops signs that the dehydration is worsening you may see the following:

• Weakness
• Dizzines
• Tunnel vision
• Ongoing muscle cramps
• Headache
• Pale sweaty skin
• Urge to go to the bathroom
• Body temperature 36 - 40° C (97 - 104° F)

This player should be removed from play and placed in a cool or shady area. Actively cool the player with fans, cool towels or even ice. Begin to rehydrate slowly and monitor the player. If recovery is not rapid and uneventful then seek medical attention.

If your player develops signs that heat exhaustion is worsening, heat stroke may be present. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Hopefully no player will reach that stage because everyone will be monitoring and hydrating to prevent just such a condition. This said it is still useful to recognize the signs.

Signs of Heat Stroke

• High body temperature > 40° C
• The absence of sweating, with hot red or flushed dry skin
• Rapid pulse
• Difficulty breathing
• Strange behavior
• Hallucinations
• Confusion
• Agitation
• Disorientation
• Seizure
• Coma

A player with heat stroke requires immediate cooling to avoid organ damage. Call for an ambulance (911 if your area has the service) and begin cooling the athlete right away. Remove the player to a shady area, and cool with fans, water, ice packs under the armpits and in the groin area or even an ice bath if such a situation can be constructed. Continue to monitor the player's temperature.

Please refer back to chapter 1 for special notes regarding hydration for the young athlete and hydration habits for the entire team.