How Heat Takes a Toll on Athletes’ Bodies

With the current NBA and NHL seasons coming to a close, sports fans are turning their attention to baseball. The season is in full swing with teams like the Dodgers and Yankees looking to claim another title. One of the draws for folks to attend baseball games is that the games take place outdoors. There’s only one stadium, Tropicana Field in Tampa, where the roof isn’t at least retractible. Some of the newer stadiums have retractable roofs to avoid weather hold-ups. Baseball isn’t the only sport that’s outdoors.

Golf and football are two other competitions that take place in the heat. While fans love attending these events every once in a while, the players have to show up and show out whenever they’re scheduled to play. These athletes must be careful when partaking in their sport. The heat can have plenty of short and long-term effects on their bodies. One of the short-term consequences of too much heat on an athlete is heat exhaustion. The athlete can experience cramps and get sick.

Athletes must also be aware of what happens when they spend too much time in the direct heat. One of the most severe symptoms of heat exhaustion is that it leads to a heat stroke. Obviously, this isn’t good in the short term, either. However, in the long run, suffering from heat stroke can cause psychological issues like depression and anxiety. For more weather content, click here to read about the hottest temperature recorded on Earth.

To compile this information about how heat takes a toll on athletes’ bodies, 24/7 Tempo consulted medical-related sources. These include Advance ER, Global Sport Matters, and Intermountain Health.

What sports are played in the heat?

There are always risks when an athlete takes the field, no matter the sport. In competitions like football, the athletes wear extra padding to protect their bodies. However, during training camp and early on in the season, coaches must keep an eye on athletes to ensure they aren’t too hot. Baseball, golf, and soccer players don’t wear extra padding. However, baseball players and golfers wear long pants. Baseball players do so to protect their legs when sliding on the grass and dirt.

Golfers who play on the PGA Tour must abide by this rule because of the dress code on tour. Soccer players notoriously run multiple miles per match. In fact, during some matches with extreme heat, the match is stopped mid-way through to allow players a chance to rehydrate themselves. Even with all of the precautions in place by every sport that’s outdoors, heat takes a toll on athletes’ bodies. People don’t take into account that the athletes typically practice outdoors as well. There’s seemingly no end to how much heat they absorb and endure.

Short-term effects of too much heat exposure

There are plenty of short-term effects that heat puts on athletes. Spending too much time in the heat as an athlete can result in heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Athletes typically experience major declines in their performance as the games go on. That’s why it’s imperative to stay as hydrated as possible. It’s also one of the reasons few runs are scored later in baseball games. The relievers coming into games have more in the tank.

Other short-term effects of too much heat can be muscle cramps, and in extreme scenarios, loss of consciousness. Football players are at the most extreme risk of this during training camp and early in the season. The three football teams in Florida play their games outdoors, adding more of a threat. These teams are the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Miami Dolphins. If not noticed early, these symptoms can become life-threatening. Whenever an athlete complains of not feeling well in extreme heat, they must be taken seriously.

Long-term effects of too much heat exposure

Spending too much time in the heat can lead to plenty of long-term issues as well if the athletes aren’t mindful of taking care of themselves. Athletes who spend too much time in the heat can experience heart and kidney issues in the future. The heart has to pump out more blood than normal when you’re in the heat, which leads to additional strain. Kidneys remove waste from your body and controls what’s in your blood. More blood pumping means the kidneys must do extra work.

The heat can cause individuals to experience anxiety and depression. The way heat impacts your brain can also cause you to have PTSD. To keep themselves safe, athletes must limit the amount of time they’re in the heat. There always needs to be water hand and tons of cold towels. Spending time in cold showers is another way to protect yourself from too much heat. Always listen to your body and go inside when you start to feel bad. For more sports content, click here to read about athletes with the most medals in the Summer Olympics.

The post How Heat Takes a Toll on Athletes’ Bodies appeared first on 24/7 Tempo .