With summer heat and humidity peaking across Northeast Florida, sports medicine experts are urging families and coaches to take extra precautions as student-athletes begin preseason workouts.
Exertional heat stroke — a rapid, life-threatening overheating caused by exercise — is among the leading causes of death in athletics and can strike quickly, said Bob Sefcik, executive director of the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program.
“Your body actually creates its own heat,” Sefcik said during an interview on The Morning Show. “When you combine that with the external heat and … high humidity in Florida … your body starts producing a temperature … before it can get rid of that and cool down.”
Exertional heat stroke & why it’s so dangerous
Exertional heat stroke is typically defined by a core body temperature of about 104 degrees, Sefcik said. But on the field, the most obvious sign may be sudden collapse.
“The first thing that you’re going to see is somebody most likely collapse,” he said. “They’re going to be unconscious and unresponsive, and we need to get them cooled down.”
Heat illness can begin with heavy sweating, slowing down, feeling faint or headache — symptoms more consistent with heat exhaustion — but heat stroke involves central nervous system impairment and requires immediate action, he said.
Ask what safety plan is in place
Sefcik said parents should ask coaches and school administrators basic questions before practices intensify:
- Is there an automated external defibrillator, or AED, on site?
- Are coaches trained to use it?
- Is there a cold tub available to rapidly cool an athlete if heat stroke is suspected?
- Is the ice machine working and is ice readily available?
- Is there an emergency action plan, and has the team practiced it?
“We talk about this a lot, but do we practice those scenarios and are we really ready to react when something does happen?” he said.
Athletic trainers can help spot danger early
Duval County Public Schools’ 17 schools that participate in sports have athletic trainers on site, Sefcik said. Many private and charter schools also employ athletic trainers.
Athletic trainers are health care providers who can monitor conditions, coordinate with coaches and respond quickly if an athlete shows signs of heat illness, he said.
Hydration starts before practice begins
Sefcik said athletes should not wait until they are thirsty to start drinking water.
“Your first warning sign for dehydration is thirst,” he said. “So if you start feeling thirsty, you know that you are already suffering some effects of dehydration.”
He recommended athletes begin hydrating days in advance, track body weight before and after practice and replace lost fluids. A significant weight drop after practice can indicate fluid loss.
“You’re going to be consuming quite a bit of fluid,” he said. “Make sure it’s water. Make sure you’re getting some electrolytes in there with some sports drinks and things like that.”
Waugh noted that cold drinks are often consumed more readily than warm drinks and said a common guideline is about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water every 15 minutes of exercise, depending on the athlete and conditions.
What to do if an athlete collapses
If heat stroke is suspected, rapid cooling is critical while emergency help is on the way. Sefcik emphasized immediate action — including access to a cold tub and ice — can make the difference between life and death.
Families are encouraged to talk with coaches and school leaders now, before temperatures and practice intensity climb further.