FOUR
UNIVERSITIES TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT HEAT-RELATED DEATHS ON THE
FIELD:
Will
Use Innovative Machine to Cool Athletes
HANOVER
PARK, Ill.- To reduce the risk of athletes dying on the
field because of heat stroke the…
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University
of North Carolina |
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Wake
Forest University |
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University
of South Florida |
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University
of Texas |
will soon use an
innovative machine called the Cool CapeTM during training exercises
and at the game, according to Sports Health, a leading sports medicine
supplier. Three other universities and the Chicago Bears are considering
purchasing a machine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at
least 300 deaths per year are attributable to heat stroke. Athletes
who play or practice in hot, humid environments increase their risk
of suffering heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat-related illnesses
have been the focus of attention among athletic trainers/directors
and coaches, particularly with the death of professional football
player Kory Stringer and University of Florida player Eraste Thomas
Autin.
"The traditional method of using icy towels and fans to cool
down football players in full uniform is the least effective
way to reduce body temperatures quickly," says James M. Kyle,
M.D., a sports medicine specialist and chair of the Emergency Medicine
Advisory Committee for Sports Health. Dr. Kyle achieved national
recognition when he served as the stadium physician for track and
field during the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games.
According to Dr. Kyle, when an athlete exhibits symptoms of heat
stress (e.g., nausea, cramping, lightheadedness, confusion), vital
signs must be monitored quickly to prevent cardiovascular collapse,
the hallmark of heat stroke. "Their pulse, blood pressure and
body temperature should be reviewed every 10 minutes," notes
Dr. Kyle. "Re-hydration during this period is necessary. If
body temperature does not decrease, products such as the Cool Cape
machine can help cool the temperature quickly."
The Cool Cape is a new device recently introduced in the market
by Sports Health. It is a mobile, self-contained unit that can direct
cool, dehumidified air to strategic areas-the neck, kidneys and
back, to quickly reduce core body temperature. The Cool Cape has
the capability to reduce body temperature in five minutes or
less.
"Right now, there is no national protocol that we can follow
on how to best treat heat-related illnesses among athletes,"
says Dr. Kyle. "Student athletes are at greater risk because
they may not be familiar with the common signs and symptoms of heat
illnesses. There is a need for national consensus guidelines, as
well as for products like the Cool Cape, to prevent further deaths
related to extreme heat."
As a leading source of sports medicine supplies to the athletic
school market, Sports Health has been providing innovative devices
and equipment to help athletic trainers and coaches protect their
athletes. Sports Health is a division of School Health Corporation,
which was founded in 1950. The company achieved success by focusing
on the needs of its customers and by broadening its product line.
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