Sports in extreme heat: How high school athletes can safely prepare for the start of practice, and the warning signs of heat illness

Contact practices generate body heat, and full pads and helmets hold that heat in. More than 50 high school football players died from heat illnesses between 1996 and 2022. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis by Samantha Scarneo-Miller, West Virginia University High school sports teams start practices soon in what has been an extremely hot summer in much of the country. Now, before they hit the field, is the time for athletes to start slowly and safely building up strength and stamina. Studies have found that the greatest risk of heat illness occurs in the first two weeks of team practices, while players’ bodies are still getting used to the physical exertion and the heat. Being physically ready to start increasingly intense team practices can help reduce the risk. I am an athletic trainer who specializes in catastrophic injuries and heat illnesses. Here’s what everyone needs to know to help keep athletes safe in the heat. The first two weeks of practice are hardest as the body acclimatizes. Derek Davis/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images Why should athletes restart workouts slowly? One of the biggest risk factors for developing dangerous exertional heat illnesses is your physical fitness level. That’s because how...