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We hope this section is a valuable resource to find out information on hot topics and current events in your industry. If there is a hot topic in your industry that you would like us to write about, or if you would like to gather information about a hot topic, submit it to School Health Corporation. Please contact us at info@schoolhealth.com  Prehydration and Rehydration Used with permission from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. "PREHYDRATION CAN HELP TO MAINTAIN BODY WATER STORES DURING ENDURANCE EXCERCISE." -David R. Lamb, Ph.D. Experts agree that sufficient fluid intake during endurance exercise is preferable to drinking only before training or competition. However, total replacement of sweat lost during exercise is rare among athletes, who typically replenish less than 50% of their sweat during exercise. To help maintain a euhydrated state (normal stores of body water), an athlete should prehydrate before exercise, says David Lamb, Ph.D., emeritus professor of exercise physiology at The Ohio State University. Prehydrating, says Lamb, will improve cardiovascular function and body temperature regulation when it's impossible to drink enough during exercise. "To avoid dehydration, you should consume sports drinks both before and during endurance exercise." To help ensure a state of euhydration, drink at least 500 ml (16 oz) of fluid before sleeping the evening before exercise and another 500 ml first thing in the morning, says Lamb. To help "top off" fluid stores, drink another 500-1000 ml 1 hour before competing. The type of fluid you consume before exercise is important. Make sure you drink fluids containing small amounts of sodium, such as sports drinks. The sodium in these drinks will cut down fluid losses in excess urination, and better maintain hydration. "Unaccustomed drinking of large amounts of fluid before competition can cause gastrointestinal discomfort," Lamb says. "Practice your hydration regimens during training before trying them in competition." "REHYDRATION IS A VITAL PART OF THE RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER ANY TRAINING SESSION OR COMPETITION." -Ronald J. Maughan, Ph.D. Research confirms that performance is impaired when an athlete is dehydrated. In endurance exercise, such as running or cycling, a progressive dehydration seems almost inevitable, says Ronald J. Maughan, Ph.D., professor of human physiology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Dehydration occurs when the athlete fails to drink enough fluid to replace the sweat lost during exercise. The resulting decrease in performance is accentuated if the athlete begins training or competing in a state of dehydration, says Maughan. "Rehydration after exercise involves not only replacement of fluids lost in sweat, but also replenishment of electrolytes, primarily sodium." For optimal rehydration, you should drink a carbohydrate- electrolyte drink as soon as possible after training or competing, says Maughan. The carbohydrates and sodium in these drinks provide flavoring that helps to stimulate consumption. The sodium also aids in the retention of the consumed fluids. The result is better hydration, which has performance implications for your subsequent training bouts or competitions. "Working on an effective recovery strategy," Maughan says, "allows your training sessions to be maintained with less fatigue and decreases the chance of injury the next time you go out to train or compete." In the Heat of the Game: Competition in Hot Weather By PAGE LOVE, M.S., R.D., L.D., sports nutritionist, Nutrifit and Nutrisport Consulting (Atlanta, GA) Used with permission from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Heat illness is one of the most preventable sports injuries. It's a problem that can sideline an athlete for the game or even end a career. Athletes need to take steps to reduce the potential for heat injury by making sure they are prepared for training and competing in the heat. Adequate fluid intake both on and off the field helps keep energy levels high by regulating body temperature, preventing heat exhaustion and transporting nutrients and energy to the muscle tissue. Warning Signs of Dehydration ACUTE SIGNS: Nausea, poor concentration, light-headedness, irritability, unusual fatigue CHRONIC SIGNS: Loss of appetite, dark yellow urine, little or no urination and frequent muscle cramps FLUID GUIDELINES Proper hydration is the best safeguard against heat illness. Remember the before, during and after activity fluid guidelines:
Athletes also should try to consume more carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen stores - a high carbohydrate supplement is a good choice. Replacing lost fluid immediately following training is crucial to replace the muscle energy stores. Adjusting to the Heat To minimize risk for heat injury, players should adjust to exercising in the heat by practicing at mild to moderate exercise intensity for 5 to 15 days in the heat. This process will allow a body to cool more efficiently by increasing sweat production sooner than when not adapted. Never Restrict Fluid Intake Athletes who compete in weight classes should lose body fat pre-season and early in the season with an appropriate calorie controlled eating plan versus quick weight loss in the form of fluid restriction following heavy sweating. Preventing Heat Injuries
Other Hydration Hints
Sports Dentistry and Dental Safety in Athletics Every athlete involved in contact sports has about a 10% chance per season of an orofacial injury, or a 33-56% chance during an athletic career. Dental injuries are among the most common type of orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports; the majority of these dental injuries are preventable. The best method of preventing a dental injury during a practice or competition is to wear a mouthguard. A variety of sports such as, but not limited to, football, hockey, boxing and rugby use mouth protection devices to reduce dental injuries. Mouth protectors not only protect against dental injuries but also concussions, neck injuries and some serious central nervous system injuries by decreasing the force transmitted through to the base of the skull. Experts estimate that mouthguards prevent approximately 200,000 injuries each year in high school and collegiate athletics. Prevention and preparation are the key elements to minimizing dental injuries. Treatment of these injuries, however simple or complex they may be, not only includes treatment at the dental office, but also treatment at the site of the injury. In sports, the challenge is to maximize an athlete's participation and limit their individual injuries. Below you will find links to websites that help explain what to do if a dental injury occurs as well as information on sports dentistry. International Academy for Sports Dentistry http://www.acadsportsdent.org/ Sports
Dentistry Facts WHAT
IS SPORTS DENTISTRY? Types
of Athletic Mouthguards Concussion
Prevention and Athletic Mouthguards A
Guide to Players, Trainers, Teachers, Parents about Sports Guards Recreational
Injury Interventions Mouthguards Sports
Dentistry: Mouthguards Athletic
Mouth Guards What
is Sports Dentistry? Sports
Dentistry Facts What
to do when a tooth is knocked out Treatment
of the Avulsed Permanent Tooth
Pinning
Down Skin Infections: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention in Wrestlers NCAA
Guideline: Skin Infections in Wrestling Skin
Disease in Wrestling The
Truth about Ring Worm Wrestlers
learning hard way they must fight skin diseases Grappling
With Skin Infections The
Importance of a Clean Wrestling Room
Schools and parents create "peanut-free" zones to keep kids safe http://www.med.umich.edu/prmc/radio/2003/nuts.htm Peanut Allergies in Young Children - Early Childhood Information Clearing House Approximately 2%-3% of
all school children suffer from a food allergy. The most common allergens
are milk, peanuts and tree nuts, wheat, soy, eggs, fish and shellfish.
Peanut allergies appear to have become more prevalent over the years and
have received a massive amount of attention in the media recently. These
changes may be linked to an increased number of vegetarians and children
consuming peanut butter. The focus on increased peanut allergies has sparked
radical movements such as peanut bans on airlines and in schools. What
are the facts pertaining to peanut allergies?
Learn how to manage a peanut allergy in elementary school. http://www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/healthsafety/hs_oc_peanutallergy.asp
Education from the American
Peanut Council and helpful tips to manage food related allergic reactions.
With schools back in session, that means its time for fall sports season to begin. Although the bulk of the season occurs in the fall, the preseason conditioning usually starts in the hottest months of the summer. From professional athletes to children at play, no one is immune to heat-related illness, stress and death. Heat injuries can be immediately life threatening. Heat related illnesses; such as heat stroke, heat cramps or heat exhaustion occur when the body cannot keep itself cool. As the air temperature rises, your body stays cool when your sweat evaporates. On hot, humid days, the increased moisture in the air slows the evaporation of sweat. With these conditions, it is difficult for athletes to train properly; therefore, it is important to stay properly hydrated. To learn more about Heat Related Illness prevention, warning signs, fluid balance and other safety tips related to heat, check out the links below. Your athletes will work hard this summer to play at the top of their game - be at the top of yours and become educated on how to prevent heat related illnesses.
Lightning Safety Lightning is a dangerous phenomenon and athletic teams that practice and compete outdoors are at risk when there is inclement weather. It is recommended to take a proactive approach to lightning safety, including the implementation of a lightning-safety policy that identifies safe locations for shelter from the lightning hazard. The safest measure to take is to proceed indoors whenever you see thunderclouds forming and remain until the storm passes. Just because you cannot see lightning does not mean you are not at risk if you are outdoors. Other warning signs of impending bad weather include: sudden decrease in temperature, sudden change in humidity, increase in air movement, and visible dark storm clouds (though these are not always present during a lightning strike). Lightning may be the most frequently encountered severe-storm hazard endangering people each year. Three quarters of all lightning casualties occur between May and September, and nearly four fifths occur between 10:00am and 7:00pm, which coincides with the hours for most athletic or recreational activities. June 22-28 is National Lightning Safety Awareness Week. Sports Health would like to help keep you informed on this very important subject. Check out the provided links to help explain what you can do to keep yourself and your athletes safe during Lightning Season. www.lightningsafety.com www.nata.org/publications/press_releases/lightning.htm www.nata.org/publications/press_releases/lightningseason.htm www.nata.org/publications/otherpub/lightning.pdf www.nata.org/publications/otherpub/lightning/NATASafetyGuidelinesEndorsed.htm www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/basics/wlightning.htm www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov www.ncaa.org/library/sports_sciences/sports_med_handbook/2002-03/1d.pdf
2002 Marks the 30th Anniversary of Title IX 2002 marks the 30th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark legislation that demanded equal funding and opportunities for women to participate in sports in schools and colleges. This 1972 equal-rights law dramatically changed the way women's sports were perceived, encouraging more and more women to not only participate but to excel in sports. Although Title IX has provided American women with access to lead fitter, fuller lives, it still comes under attack as a quota system. Check out the following related links to read more about this groundbreaking legislation encouraging women and girls to play sports.
Exercise Induced Asthma Exercise-induced asthma can be triggered by vigorous physical activity. EIA tends to affect children and young adults because of their high level of physical activity, but can occur at any age. To learn more about Exercise Induced Asthma, its triggers and how to adapt to it, take a look at the following links.
Finding
Funding for Athletic Medical Supplies
Vital Signs Trending While participating in strenuous sports activities it is important to monitor a students vital signs. It is also very important to record these vital signs and review trending information. Attached are several links they you may find useful regarding this subject.
Responding to Medical Emergencies - Athletic Trainers As an athletic trainer you will commonly be dealing with medical emergencies during and after school. This section provides some informative sites that will help you manage medical emergencies in your schools.
Saving Lives with Automated External Defibrillation in Schools Sudden Cardiac Arrest Overview Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting an estimated 250,000 victims each year. Recent figures from the Center for Disease Control suggest that sudden cardiac arrest affects as many as 450,000 victims annually. Even at the lower estimates, these numbers are staggering and far exceed the annual incidence of house fires, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and automobile accidents combined. Currently, a person who suffers a sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital has only a 5% chance of surviving. Scientific research has confirmed that the single most important determinant of survival from SCA is rapid defibrillation. An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is the only way to save their life, but most victims do not have timely access to defibrillation. Ninety percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims who are treated with a defibrillator within one minute of arrest can be saved, but every minute that a person goes without treatment decreases a person's chance of survival by 10 percent. While a defibrillator has a 97 percent success rate in terminating ventricular fibrillation, fewer than half of the nation's ambulance services, less than 15 percent of emergency service fire units, and less than 2 percent of police vehicles are currently equipped with an AED.
Many school districts and community members are initiating programs to equip their schools with AEDs and to provide training to staff. Here are just a few of them:
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