Sports Medicine Staff Size Influences Exertional Heat Illness Policies in High School Football

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 172-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riana R. Pryor ◽  
Douglas J. Casa ◽  
Susan W. Yeargin ◽  
Zachary Y. Kerr
Keyword(s):  
High Schools ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Medical Personnel ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
Team Physician ◽  
High School Football ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness ◽  
Safety Strategies

All high schools should implement exertional heat illness (EHI) safety strategies. We determined if there were differences in the implementation of EHI safety strategies between schools with and without additional paid athletic trainers (ATs) or a team physician present at preseason football practices. High schools with multiple ATs or a team physician implemented more EHI prevention and management strategies than schools with only a single AT, including training staff in EHI recognition and treatment and having an emergency action plan. However, schools with a paid team physician were more likely to have double practices in the first week of football practice. Schools with additional medical personnel at football preseason practices were more likely to implement EHI safety strategies.

An exertional heat illness triage tool for a jungle training environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 164 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Smith ◽  
R Withnall ◽  
M Boulter
Keyword(s):  
Medical Personnel ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
Training Environment ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness ◽  
First Aid Training ◽  
Illness Recognition

This article introduces a practical triage tool designed to assist commanders, jungle training instructors (JTIs) and medical personnel to identify Defence Personnel (DP) with suspected exertional heat illness (EHI). The challenges of managing suspected EHI in a jungle training environment and the potential advantages to stratifying the urgency of evacuation are discussed. This tool has been designed to be an adjunct to the existing MOD mandated heat illness recognition and first aid training.

scholarly journals Exertional Heat Illness in American Football Players: When Is the Risk Greatest?

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 593-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Earl R. Cooper ◽  
Michael S. Ferrara ◽  
Douglas J. Casa ◽  
John W. Powell ◽  
Steven P. Broglio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Incidence Rate ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
The United States ◽  
American Football ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
Wet Bulb Globe Temperature ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness ◽  
Globe Temperature

Context: Knowledge about the specific environmental and practice risks to participants in American intercollegiate football during preseason practices is limited. Identifying risks may mitigate occurrences of exertional heat illness (EHI). Objective: To evaluate the associations among preseason practice day, session number, and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and the incidence of EHI. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: Sixty colleges and universities representing 5 geographic regions of the United States. Patients or Other Participants: National Collegiate Athletic Association football players. Main Outcome Measure(s): Data related to preseason practice day, session number, and WBGT. We measured WBGT every 15 minutes during the practice sessions and used the mean WBGT from each session in the analysis. We recorded the incidence of EHIs and calculated the athlete-exposures (AEs). Results: A total of 553 EHI cases and 365 810 AEs were reported for an overall EHI rate of 1.52/1000 AEs (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42, 1.68). Approximately 74% (n = 407) of the reported EHI cases were exertional heat cramps (incidence rate = 1.14/1000 AEs; 95% CI = 1.03, 1.25), and about 26% (n = 146) were a combination of exertional heat syncope and heat exhaustion (incidence rate = 0.40/1000 AEs; 95% CI = 0.35, 0.48). The highest rate of EHI occurred during the first 14 days of the preseason period, and the greatest risk was during the first 7 days. The risk of EHI increased substantially when the WBGT was 82.0°F (27.8°C) or greater. Conclusions: We found an increased rate of EHI during the first 14 days of practice, especially during the first 7 days. When the WBGT was greater than 82.0°F (27.8°C), the rate of EHI increased. Sports medicine personnel should take all necessary preventive measures to reduce the EHI risk during the first 14 days of practice and when the environmental conditions are greater than 82.0°F (27.8°C) WBGT.

Regional differences in exertional heat illness rates among Georgia USA high school football players

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 643-650
Author(s):  
Shaina Poore ◽  
Andrew Grundstein ◽  
Earl Cooper ◽  
Jerry Shannon
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
High School Football ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness

Identification of Risk Factors for Exertional Heat Illness: A Brief Commentary on Genetic Testing

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila Muldoon ◽  
Rolf Bunger ◽  
Patricia Deuster ◽  
Nyamkhishig Sambuughin
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Genetic Testing ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Hereditary Diseases ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
Data Synthesis ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness ◽  
Type Data

Objective:This commentary discusses known links between Exertional Heat Illness (EHI), Malignant Hyperthermia (MH), and other hereditary diseases of muscle. Genetic and functional testing is also evaluated as measures of fitness to return to duty/play.Data Sources:Reviews and research articles from Sports Medicine, Applied Physiology, and Anesthesiology.Data Extraction:Detailed comparisons of existing literature regarding clinical cases of EHI and MH and the potential utility of genetic testing, specifically the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) gene and other genes related to disorders of skeletal muscle.Data Synthesis:EHI is a complex disorder wherein physiological, environmental, and hereditary factors interact to endanger an individual’s ability to maintain thermal homeostasis.Conclusions:Individuals’ genetic background is likely to play an important role, particularly when EHI recurs. Recurrent EHI has been associated with MH and other genetic disorders, highlighting the importance of identification and exclusion of individuals with known high risk factors.

Implementing Exertional Heat Illness Prevention Strategies in US High School Football

2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Y. Kerr ◽  
Stephen W. Marshall ◽  
R. Dawn Comstock ◽  
Douglas J. Casa
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
High School Football ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness ◽  
Illness Prevention

Return to Activity Considerations in a Football Player Predisposed to Exertional Heat Illness: A Case Study

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Emmanuel Coris ◽  
Stephen Walz ◽  
Jeff Konin ◽  
Michele Pescasio
Keyword(s):  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Football Player ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
Competitive Sport ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness ◽  
The Third ◽  
Return To Activity ◽  
Medicine Team

Context:Heat illness is the third leading cause of death in athletics and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in exercising athletes. Once faced with a case of heat related illness, severe or mild, the health care professional is often faced with the question of when to reactivate the athlete for competitive sport. Resuming activity without modifying risk factors could lead to recurrence of heat related illness of similar or greater severity. Also, having had heat illness in and of itself may be a risk factor for future heat related illness. The decision to return the athlete and the process of risk reduction is complex and requires input from all of the components of the team. Involving the entire sports medicine team often allows for the safest, most successful return to play strategy. Care must be taken once the athlete does begin to return to activity to allow for re-acclimatization to exercise in the heat prior to resumption particularly following a long convalescent period after more severe heat related illness.

scholarly journals Exertional Heat Illness Preparedness Strategies: Environmental Monitoring Policies in United States High Schools

Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 486
Author(s):  
Samantha E. Scarneo-Miller ◽  
Luke N. Belval ◽  
Susan W. Yeargin ◽  
Yuri Hosokawa ◽  
Zachary Y. Kerr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Environmental Monitoring ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Heat Stroke ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Heat Illness ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Exertional Heat Illness

Background and objectives: Environmental monitoring allows for an analysis of the ambient conditions affecting a physically active person’s ability to thermoregulate and can be used to assess exertional heat illness risk. Using public health models such as the precaution adoption process model (PAPM) can help identify individual’s readiness to act to adopt environmental monitoring policies for the safety of high school athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the adoption of policies and procedures used for monitoring and modifying activity in the heat in United States (US) high schools. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, we distributed an online questionnaire to athletic trainers (ATs) working in high schools in the US. The questionnaire was developed based on best practice standards related to environmental monitoring and modification of activity in the heat as outlined in the 2015 National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Exertional Heat Illness. The PAPM was used to frame questions as it allows for the identification of ATs’ readiness to act. PAPM includes eight stages: unaware of the need for the policy, unaware if the school has this policy, unengaged, undecided, decided not to act, decided to act, acting, and maintaining. Invitations were sent via email and social media and resulted in 529 complete responses. Data were aggregated and presented as proportions. Results: Overall, 161 (161/529, 30.4%) ATs report they do not have a written policy and procedure for the prevention and management of exertional heat stroke. The policy component with the highest adoption was modifying the use of protective equipment (acting = 8.2%, maintaining = 77.5%). In addition, 28% of ATs report adoption of all seven components for a comprehensive environmental monitoring policy. Conclusions: These findings indicate a lack of adoption of environmental monitoring policies in US high schools. Secondarily, the PAPM, facilitators and barriers data highlight areas to focus future efforts to enhance adoption.

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