Summer exercise tips
* Even a few hours of air conditioning per day can prevent heat stroke.
* If you exercise outside, try to do it in the early morning or late evening, when temperatures are cooler.
* When exercising in the heat, drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour. Sports drinks are helpful because they can replace lost minerals.
* Wear lightweight, loose, light-colored clothing, including wide-brimmed hats.
* Wear sunscreen because a sunburn can increase the loss of body fluids and limit your body’s ability to cool itself.
* Take frequent resting breaks in the shade if possible.
* “Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. In fact, on average, excessive heat claims more lives each year than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined.”— NOAA’s National Weather Service.
* On average, more than 1,500 people in the U.S. die each year from excessive heat. — Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
* At least two Texas high school students died after summer football practice last year.
* Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas covered about 44,000 heat-related medical claims in 2011. That was 6,000 more than the year before at a cost of $22 million ($3 million more than in 2010).
* BCBSTX covers the most heat-related medical claims in August. Last year it covered more than 5,500 and in 2010 — which represented a more typical summer — it covered nearly 4,500 heat-related claims.
* “Those most at risk of heat related illnesses are people over the age of 65, the very young, the obese and those with blood or sweat-related illnesses or medications. This includes people with low blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, dehydration or malnutrition. The risk is especially high when air conditioning is unavailable for long periods of time, and during heat waves.” — Federal Occupational Health.
SAN ANGELO, Texas — Exercise is healthy, but during the summer months it also can be deadly.
Last year, our state saw record days with triple-digit temperatures and at least two high school students died after hot football practices. The National Athletic Trainers' Association and the University Interscholastic League have made recommendations to help keep practices safer, but all of us are susceptible to the dangers of heat.
Last year, we covered more heat-related health issues at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas than ever before — 44,000, costing $22 million. In San Angelo alone, those numbers were 600 and $310,000 respectively. It's no surprise that the National Weather Service says heat kills more people in the U.S. than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined.
Even if this year doesn't break records, Texans could still use a reminder about how to stay safe when it's hot. Contrary to popular belief, the temperature is not a good indicator of risk. Instead, we should consult the heat index because it incorporates other influential factors such as humidity which slows the evaporation of sweat (the body's way of cooling itself), strong winds and the number of days with excessive heat.
We usually have our strongest heat indexes and heat-related health concerns during August. In 2010 — which represents a more average summer than last year — we covered 4,500 related claims in that month alone. Texans most at risk are those with low blood pressure or diabetes as well as the elderly, youth, obese or people who have issues with their blood or heart.
Our data tracks 24 heat-related medical conditions including everything from severe sunburns to dehydration to heat strokes. Here are the warning signs and nonmedical ways to treat the most common/dangerous heat disorders:
Heat exhaustion: When people sweat heavily and doesn't properly replace their body fluids, they can suffer from heat exhaustion — even after their body has returned to a normal temperature. This usually occurs after several days of a heat wave and is characterized by weakness, dizziness, cool/pale/clammy skin, thread pulse, fainting and vomiting.
If the body temperature rises above 102 degrees, it may require hospitalization for the elderly. Those at highest risk for heat exhaustion are older adults, people with high blood pressure and people working or exercising when it is hot.
People suffering from heat exhaustion should find a cool place to lie down, loosen their clothing, apply wet cloths and sip water.
Heat cramps: Exercising in hot weather can cause excessive sweating, which may create brief imbalances in body salts that lead to muscle cramps. This is most common in the legs and stomach but occurs less frequently once the body becomes more accustomed to the heat. If cramps occur, press firmly on the affected muscle and gently massage away the spasm.
Heat syncope or fainting: People who are not used to exercising in the heat may experience a sudden drop in blood pressure that causes them to faint. To help prevent heat syncope, take breaks and keep hydrated.
Heatstroke: If the body's temperature rises above 104, a person can have a heat stroke and die. Symptoms include hot, dry skin; rapid and strong pulse; lethargy; confusion or unconsciousness.
Unlike heat exhaustion, heat stroke is a much more serious and can cause harm to your organs and brain, or even death if medical attention is not available right away. If someone appears to suffer from heatstroke, call 911 immediately. While waiting on an ambulance, move the victim to a cool area, remove clothing and bathe with a cool/wet sponge. They should not be given water.
Because prolonged exposure to heat greatly increases risk, even a few hours of air conditioning can help. Also, I suggest drinking two to four glasses of water each hour even if you're not thirsty. Wear light/loose clothes as well as sunscreen because sunburn limits your body's ability to cool itself. Of course, outdoor exercise should be done early in the morning or late at night with frequent breaks.
Another serious concern during the hot summer months is children alone in parked automobiles. Thirty percent of recorded heat stroke deaths in the U.S. happen because a child was able to get into an unattended car to play. And according to the organization "Kids in Cars," 33 children died from a heat stroke after being left inside a car last year.
Even with a window open, the air temperature inside a parked car can rise by seven degrees in five minutes during the summer months. That means that in 90 degree heat, it only takes 10 minutes for the inside of a car to reach the level of an "excessive heat advisory" on the National Weather Service scale. And because children's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's, they are especially vulnerable.