Summer is here and the mercury is rising. Do you know how to stay safe while exercising in the summer heat? Follow these 7 tips for summer exercise to stay cool and get the most out of your hot weather workout.
1. Timing
Avoid the heat of the day by exercising in the mornings and evenings. Try to avoid exercising in the hottest part of the day.
2. Go Slow
If you must exercise in the heat of the day, get yourself used to the heat slowly. This can be done by gradually exposing yourself to the heat by starting with a very short workout, and increasing the amount of time you exercise over several days.
3. Hydrate
Drinking fluids is key! Performance declines with as little as 2-3% decrease in body weight from sweat loss. In general, you should drink approximately 20 ounces of fluid for every pound lost during exercise. In addition, know how to check your hydration status by looking at the color of your urine. Aim for light yellow or straw colored urine. Dark yellow or brown urine means that you are significantly dehydrated and need to drink more.
4. Clothing
Wear loose synthetic clothing that breathes and wicks moisture. Also, pick light colors over dark colors to help reflect the sun’s heat away from you.
5. Protection
You can keep your body cooler by keeping the sun off your skin. Wear a hat and lightweight long sleeve shirt, and always remember your sunscreen! As you sweat, remember to reapply sunscreen, too.
6. Know the Signs
The signs of heat illness include cramping, confusion, unsteadiness, irritability, vomiting, unusual fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and visual disturbances. Stop exercising and find a cool place to rest if you feel unwell.
7. First Aid
When heat illness strikes, know how to beat it. Immersion in cold water is the best way to treat it quickly. However, if you don’t have access to a tub full of ice water, that’s okay. You can still help by rolling up towels and dunking them in ice water. Wring out the excess water and place the towels over the head, neck, and body to bring the body temperature down.
Staying safe while recreating in the summer heat is easy if you remember these 7 tips. Please share with your friends and teammates, and let us how you stay cool while exercising in the heat this summer!
Written by: Alex Walker, ATC, athletic trainer for The Center Foundation and Sisters High School in Sisters, OR. Learn more about Alex HERE.
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html accessed 5/29/2020
As a rule, its still important to stretch. But, it’s all about timing – post-exercise v. pre-exercise, and type – dynamic v. static. When stretching, focus on the results you want. Ask yourself what area of your body you are mobilizing, and what mechanical changes are occurring as a result. For example, if we stretch the quadriceps with an emphasis on movement, it helps reduce tension in the hamstrings. Therefore, our muscles are more ready for training and competition. Another key step is the addition of high quality strength and conditioning focused on the posterior muscles. Examples include dead lifts and kettle bell swings. So keep stretching, training, and playing. At the same time, be mindful that sometimes our attempts at preventing injury aren’t always what they seem.
Is cold weather causing muscle injuries? The answer is yes and no. The temperature outside does not cause a strained muscle. However, there is a risk, and it comes from muscles that are not warm enough to participate in the upcoming activity. Winter sports often have periods of downtime when the athlete is not moving. They may be taking a break, sitting through time-out or half time, or waiting for their turn to compete. Regardless of the reason, the athlete’s body cools down rapidly during inactivity in cold weather. When the body cools down, so do the muscles.
It is a common myth that wearing ankle braces or taping to prevent ankle injuries will weaken the ankle. In addition, some believe that it can lead to injuries in other parts of the leg. However, research disagrees with this. Studies show that bracing and taping are effective ways of preventing ankle injuries. Furthermore, athletes who have had a previous ankle injury receive even greater benefit from ankle taping and bracing compared to those without previous ankle injuries.
In order to accomplish this, we raise over $500,000 annually to provide sports medicine services to eight high schools in Bend, La Pine, Sisters, Madras, Culver and Crook County. However, we have more work to do. Specifically, our middle school athletes need support, and we have an additional high school coming online in 2021. As our region continues to grow, so does our opportunity to keep kids active and safe. This is where YOU come in. Our kids depend on us; we depend on you to keep us here protecting them. If every parent of a high school athlete in Central Oregon gave just $10 a month for one year (that’s only two visits to Starbucks!) it would go a log way toward reaching our goals.
Rich Rainville hails from the Midwestern state of Michigan. For his first year of college, he attended Furman University in Greenville, SC and competed for their cycling team. After that, Rich transferred to Illinois State University, where he pursued his passion for sports medicine in their athletic training program. Rich graduated In 2018, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training.
Ross Dexter is a native Central Oregonian and a graduate of La Pine High School. After high school, Ross left the area to attend Southern Oregon University. There, he studied Health and Physical Education while also competing in cross-country and track. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Ross’s love for athletics took him to Vancouver British Columbia to continue his education. In 2010, he completed a Master’s Degree in Human Kinetics at the University of British Columbia.
When not at work, Ross is a kettle bell training enthusiast, an avid runner, cross-country skier, and fly fisherman. Ross is also looking forward to honing his paddle boarding skills. He is excited to be back in Central Oregon where he can enjoy all of his favorite activities.