Local 12
By: Liz Bonis
UNION, Ky. (WKRC) - These warmer temperatures are adding to the danger for teens who are now starting daily practice for high school football, but athletic trainers have some advice on staying safe from the dangers of the heat.
This is the first week of football practice, and many of the area high school teams are using morning practice times to try and beat the heat.
Athletic trainers from St. Elizabeth Healthcare say no matter what time of day you practice or play, when it's this hot outside, a few simple steps may be critical to setting your body up for a successful season.
When the heat is on, football practice doesn't get called off.
For athletic trainers such as Brad Bolte, that means teaching his team at Ryle High School a few basic summer heat survival skills.
He monitors the risk, saying they have to write down the heat index every 30 minutes. He also monitors anyone having early warning signs of overheating.
"You start getting light headed; you start getting dizzy; your skin is kind of pale and cold and clammy," said Bolte.
And along with head coach Michael Engler, he does his best to let the players know what to look for related to heat on and off the field.
"It's really kind of funny, like dehydration, you know, we tell them--it's funny to listen to it--but you got to look at when you go to the bathroom and what it looks like," Engler said.
Bolte says changes in urine output or color can be early warning signs for dehydration. And fluid intake prior to practice may be as important as the cup of water suggested every half hour on the field.
"I recommend that they start drinking about 24 to 48 hours before practice," said Bolte.
He points out, however, that it's not just what you do before practice or before game time that really matters, it is what you do after. It can make a big difference in what they call your recovery and replenishing those glycogen stores.
Glycogen is the stored form of glucose or fuel cells needed for energy, so replenishing fluid and food intake after practice can boost next day and future performance.
And speaking of replenishing food and fluid intake, some professional teams feel it's so important to get energy stores replenished after big games that they will buy dinner for players.