Teams taking precautions to beat the heat

August 15, 2011

Believe it or not, practice for high school football teams starts today.

Bill Oates delivers heat related illness information to the coaches at Broadalbin Perth School system

It’s hard to believe the unofficial end to summer for high school athletes is already here as they get a jump start on their school year by preparing for the upcoming sports season.

In reality, though, summer doesn’t officially end until Sept. 23, so the temperatures will still be summerlike for weeks, which is a cause for concern for coaches and athletes, especially football coaches, when it comes to practice routines.

Hot temperatures, combined with the extra weight of helmets and pads, can expedite dehydration, which can be a recipe for a fatal scenario if not monitored.

The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research’s annual football injuries research reported 13 heat-related deaths among high school and middle school football players since 2006, which is why the Nathan Littauer’s Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation team is stressing the importance of hydration throughout practice by offering a free 45 minute Beat the Heat seminar to area coaches.

“The coaches are educated on the warning signs and how to go about responding to such an emergency,” said Bill Oates, director of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at Nathan Littauer, who heads the Beat the Heat program. “It is a growing epidemic across the United States, and we’re just trying to provide as much information as we can.”

The hydration program, which has already been presented at Broadalbin-Perth High School and will be presented at Johnstown High School in September, offers a variety of tips for coaches as they prepare to practice throughout the warm summer days in the rest of August and early September.

Oates said younger athletes are more at risk for dehydration than adults for several reasons.

“Kids really don’t tolerate heat in the same ways as adults do,” he said “Their sweating threshold is higher, so it takes them more to sweat. Their exercise tolerance is shorter, their acclimation to heat is slower, and their core temperature rises faster. Those four things can kind of drastically increase the risk for a young athlete compared to an adult.”

One of the program’s suggestions that’s specifically effective for today as the teams begin to work for the first time after the summer break, is a period of acclimation.

“It’s a 10-day period or so to get them accustomed to the conditioning and accustomed to the heat,” Oates said. “A lot of athletes show up for sports in fairly poor conditions at times. They don’t maintain that level of cardiac fitness throughout the entire year and they also are not accustomed to two-a-days.”

The seminar also touches on who is considered at high risk for dehydration and encouraging coaches to teach their players about signs of dehydration.

Broadalbin-Perth head football coach Jim Pelneau, who is entering his first year with the Patriots, has seen the hydration program run by Oates and Nathan Littauer and already is making preparations to put them into his team’s practice routine.

“You learn to work those things into your practice schedule,” he said. “We are much more aware of it than maybe we have been in the past.”

Heat is obviously a major factor that leads to dehydration, and recently, Section II made recommendations about practices should be run during extreme heat.

Anything over a RealFeel – an index that takes into account temperature and humidity – temperature of 96 degrees will result in a cancelled practice or contest.

When the RealFeel is 91-95 degrees, Section II recommends teams provide water breaks every 15 minutes, and also suggests reducing the practice time. When the RealFeel temperature is above 86, coaches should allow an hour of recovery time for every hour of practice,?Section II?suggests.

Oates said temperatures from 74 to 82 degrees create a high risk for dehydration, while anything over 82 degrees is considered extremely high-risk. He said sometimes more recovery time is needed what Section II suggests.

“You have to take into account the temperature and the intensity of the exercise,” Oates said. “If you do a two-to-three hour practice in 85 degree heat, and you’re really working them, three hours probably isn’t sufficient – especially for young people.”

Fonda-Fultonville head football coach Tom Carpenter said he likes to keep his team from practicing in the heat of the afternoon.

“When we usually do doubles, we go at 8 a.m. and at 5 p.m.,” he said. “We try to go at the coolest parts of the day.”

A lot of dehydration incidents occur toward the beginning of the season, when athletes may be vying for a spot on the roster or starting position on the field. There’s a chance young athletes may say they’re OK even when they feel exhausted, Carpenter said.

“You try to tell the kids to be honest with you,” Carpenter said. “If you’re not feeling good, say something.”

William Oates, Director of the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation services at Littauer.

For information on the Beat the Heat program at Littauer, contact Bill Oates at 773-5540.

Littauer secures new technology for ambulance services

Nathan Littauer Hospital was recently awarded a grant from the Dominic Ferraioli Foundation to purchase wireless technology/modems for our Fulton County ambulances. This technology will allow real time cardiac data to be streamed into our Emergency Care Center where doctors will analyze the data and begin the patient’s care plan. Of all medical conditions reported in Fulton County, cardiac, stroke and respiratory-related are among the highest so this technology will save time and save lives in our area.

Dr. Paul Husson joins the medical team at Littauer

Nathan Littauer Hospital announced today the appointment of Paul J. Husson Jr, MD to their medical staff. Dr. Husson is a Urologist and recently completed his residency at Albany Medical Center. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Husson join our team. He is highly-regarded in the medical community at Albany Medical Center,” stated Laurence E. Kelly, Hospital President and CEO. “We are very proud to introduce him to our patients.”

With Dr. Husson’s specialized training, the hospital will be offering a new cutting edge procedure, Laparoscopic Kidney Surgery. The surgery uses small incisions resulting in shorter recovery times. As a member of the American Urologic Association, Dr. Husson will be able to offer surgical and medical solutions to a host of urological issues, including: kidney stones, urinary tract infections, incontinence and screenings for prostrate, bladder and kidney cancers.

According to the American Urological Association (AUA), 30 million individuals live with urological issues in the US, greatly affecting their quality of life and overall lifespan.

Dr. Husson, an Albany native, is pleased to be practicing at Nathan Littauer explaining, “I like being in a setting that allows me to work closely with people. Working at Nathan Littauer Hospital will give me the opportunity to connect with my patients. I do not want people to feel like a number.” He concluded, “Working in Fulton County really excites me.”

Dr. Husson will be seeing patients out of the Gloversville Primary Care Center. To schedule an appointment patients are urged to call: 775-4133.

NLH aims to keep local children safe while participating in summer sports.

Littauer’s Sports Medicine and Rehab Team will host a seminar Nov 30.

Gloversville, NY — As summer sports camps start throughout the area, Nathan Littauer Hospital’s Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Team is reminding local sports teams about the dangers of heat-related illness and dehydration. The hospital is offering a free 45 minute seminar “Beat the Heat” to coaches in the area to address the issue of heat-related illness and dehydration. The program, headed by William Oates, Director of the Sport Medicine and Rehabilitation Team and STOP Sport Injuries liaison explains, “The goal here is to make sure our kids stay safe as the temperatures rise.” He added, “We have a real passion to keep our kids safe while they are on the field. With heat-related illnesses on the rise, we wanted to give as much information to local teams as possible.” Classes can be arranged at the hospital or at a central location.

As a physical therapist and former athlete Mr. Oates said, “At this time of the year we are very concerned about dehydration. The risk that an athlete will become dehydrated, or suffer a more serious heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, is always present, but increases dramatically when the heat index is high and we have hot, humid conditions.”

Studies show that between 50 and 75 percent of girls and boys attending summer sports camps are significantly dehydrated, according to three University of Connecticut studies. The studies found that 25 to 30 percent of the campers studied showed signs of serious dehydration, putting them at increased risk of heat-related illnesses. (Uconn, 2006)

Littauer warns that having sports drinks and water available are not enough. According to research, campers were dehydrated despite the availability of water and sports drinks, frequent breaks and coaches’ encouragement to stay hydrated. Oates said, “What a team needs is a hydration plan.”

“The children, ages 9 to 16, also suffered significant dehydration despite an overwhelming display of knowledge and positive attitudes about healthy hydration habits”, said Douglas Casa, a Certified Athletic Trainer and Director of Athletic Training Education at U Conn and lead researcher in the studies.

“Most campers thought they were doing a pretty good job of staying hydrated during the day, but their thirst level during practice was not a good indicator of their hydration status,” Casa said. “Obviously, there’s a gap between their knowledge and their actual behavior.” (Momsteams.com)

“Unfortunately you cannot use thirst as an indicator of dehydration.” explained Oates. “Dehydration can occur before an athlete gets thirsty. We want young athletes to be well-hydrated so they can avoid athletic performance issues or worse, be at risk for heat-related illnesses”

Studies also show that heat-related deaths are rising. The critical importance of hydration for athletes was highlighted by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research’s Annual Survey of Football Injuries, which reported 13 heat-related deaths among middle school and high school football players in 2006, the highest total since 1936. (UNC.edu)

“Now there are even apps on Iphones and smart phones to address dehydration.” explained Mr. Oates. To see get more information about the “Beat the Heat” program at Littauer please contact William Oates at 773-5540.

Some facts:

* Dehydration can begin when an athlete loses as little as 1 percent of body weight. In a 70-pound child, that is less than 1 pound of weight lost through sweat; (University of Missouri Extension)

* Dehydration effects performance: as little as a 2% decrease in body weight from fluid loss (e.g. 1.2 lb for a 60-lb athlete) can lead to a significant decrease in muscular strength and stamina; (Bar-OR, Dotan, “Voluntary hypohydration in 10 to 12 year old boys”).

* Children don’t tolerate heat and humidity as well as adults and get dehydrated very easily; (Berning and Nelson, “Nutrition for Sport and Exercise”, 2005)

* Children have a lower sweating rate; (Berning and Nelson, “Nutrition for Sport and Exercise”, 2005)

* Children experience greater heat production in exercise and has less ability to transfer this heat from muscles to the skin; (Berning and Nelson, “Nutrition for Sport and Exercise”, 2005)

* Dehydration is common in kids playing sports. (Bar-OR, Dotan, “Voluntary hypohydration in 10 to 12 year old boys”).

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About Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home:

Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is a full-service, 74 bed acute care hospital with an 84 bed skilled nursing home located in upstate New York. Littauer provides the finest in state-of-the-art technology and a caring, dedicated staff of health care professionals. Over the years, the hospital has expanded its services in order to offer health care that is comprehensive, accessible, and relevant to the needs of the communities they serve. The Littauer medical staff brings amazing technical expertise and competence to the residents of Fulton County and the surrounding communities. To learn more, please visit www.nlh.org.