|
|
Athletes need plenty of waterBy Barbara Brown Dr. Jeff Ley doesnít care if the athletes that he sees laugh at what he has to say; he wants them to be safe. Dr. Ley tells athletes they must ìpee clearî if they expect to be fully hydrated during sporting events. Dr. Ley, in an interview last week at his Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center office in Wyoming, said the best indicator of whether anyone is hydrated enough is the color of their urine. Dr. Ley said athletes should drink several glasses of water throughout the day before practices and should continue to hydrate themselves during practice. ìIf you have to leave the field to go to the (bathrooms), thatís all right,î Dr. Ley said. ìAt least you know youíre hydrated.î Coaches should be aware that heat stroke, exhaustion and dehydration are very real dangers for athletes, especially those who play fall sports. Heat indexes can make the air temperature feel like itís in the 100s during the summer in Minnesota. The hottest period of the year is during August when fall sports practices begin. Fall practices for North Branch and Rush City sports begin next week. Dr. Ley suggests that every athlete have a pre-participation physical. Those physicals can help athletes, coaches and parents know the limitations of the athlete. He said coaches should not restrict water as a punishment for poor performance during practices. Frequent breaks, especially on very hot and humid days are a way to improve performance, not determine who is the most ìmanlyî athlete, Dr. Ley said. ìCoaches may want to ask a team captain or leader to set the example,î Dr. Ley said. ìIf the team seems to follow one personís lead a lot, give that person permission to call for breaks so no one feels like they are being wimpy.î Dr. Ley said coaches also should keep an eye on obese athletes, especially young ones. Sports participants in lower grades, like seventh and eighth grades, should be watched carefully because their pre-pubescent sweat glands have not fully developed and it takes them longer to reach the point when their bodies sweat. The longer the body waits to sweat, the closer the athlete is to heat-related illnesses. Dr. Ley also said coaches need to give their athletes time to acclimate to the environment. For example, football coaches should allow their players to become accustomed to the heat by practicing in shorts and T-shirts only for the first week, then move on to light pads. Helmets and full pads should be added last after the players have had time to get used to the heat. Practicing in the middle of the day, when the temperature and sunís heat are at their highest, only invites heat illnesses, Dr. Ley said. Dr. Ley reminded coaches that the sports activities should be fun and the athletes should want to win, but not at the expense of their own health. For Minnesota State High School League guidelines on attire for practicing in the heat, go to www.mshsl.org on the Internet. ©ECM Post Review |