Proper Hydration to AVOID AND PREVENT HEAT RELATED INJURIES WHEN PLAYING BASEBALL
There are some simple guidelines which have been prepared by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) when it comes to activities in a hot and/or humid environment. The goal in participating in hot weather is to avoid fluid loss from the body or dehydration. Water not only accounts for some 98% of our body composition, but functions to help deliver oxygen to working muscles, and keeps the body from overheating during strenuous activity. Hard working muscles generate heat which is dissipated through the act of sweating. Evaporation of sweat on the skin allows the body to get rid of this heat and cool it off. In looking at the objectives for advising officials and participates about this subject it seems that the following categories are areas requiring attention:
1. To educate athletes and event officials about the most common forms of environmental illness including predisposing conditions, warning signs, susceptibility and incidence reduction.
2. To advise officials of their legal responsibilities and potential liability with regard to event safety and injury prevention
3. To recommend that officials consult local weather archives and plan games at times likely to be of low environmental stress to minimize detrimental effects on athletes.
4. To encourage officials to warn athletes about environmental stress on game \ practice day and the implications for heat and cold illness.
5. To inform officials of preventive actions that may reduce debilitation and environmental illness.
6. To describe the personnel, equipment, and supplies necessary to reduce and treat cases of collapse and environmental illness.
