Dear All,
Many of you will remember the heat related health problems that Mango suffered in Heilbronn 2000 whilst playing for GB open. Unfortuantely, this weekend at the Boston Invitational, Lucy Moore (Bliss and OW player) suffered from hyponatremia (low sodium levels) after playing in high temperatures on saturday. She is currently stable but remains in intensive care in Boston. With so many players departing shortly for Rostock. It is essential that all players/captains are aware of this potentially fatal danger. Hyponatremia is usually caused in athletes by over hydrating! and not replenishing enough salts/electrolytes. Please read the advice below and prepare appropriately for every tournament your team goes to. Also it would be highly recommended to compile a file with all of your players insurance details and any important medical information (ie any allery to medications) just in case you should need it. Thanks, Bex Bliss Below I have copied the american college of sports medicine advice. Hot Summer Heat: Workers and Athletes Must Hydrate Properly, Experts Urge As the heat of Summer rises, runners be properly hydrated, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Seeking to clarify complex issues involving hydration for athletes, the ACSM reiterated its statements on hyponatremia and dehydration for athletes during endurance events. Hyponatremia is a dangerous condition that may arise when athletes consume too much water or sports drinks, diluting or disrupting the body's sodium levels. ACSM experts in sports medicine and exercise science point out that while hyponatremia is a serious concern, excessive fluid consumption resulting in hyponatremia is unlikely to occur in most athletes, and hydration is important for all active people. Water and sports drinks, when consumed as recommended, are not dangerous to athletes. Appropriate fluid intake before, during and after exercise is important to help regulate body temperature and replace body fluids lost through sweating. "Runners should follow a hydration plan based on their sweat losses during training, and slow runners in particular should take care not to drink beyond that level during exercise," said Larry Kenney, Ph.D., FACSM. He also advised runners to consume salty snacks before and after the race to replace any sodium lost during exercise. ACSM's current hydration guidelines state that those exercising for more than one hour may benefit from sports drinks, which replace carbohydrates for energy. Generally, says Kenney, a a past president of ACSM and an expert on hydration and related issues, persons participating in typical athletic or work environments should continue to heed current hydration guidelines. "There are dangers associated with both extremes of behavior severe under-drinking and severe over-drinking. Not drinking at all is not a safe option for preventing hyponatremia." The key, he said, is "drinking intelligently, not drinking maximally." Dehydration resulting from the failure to replace fluids during exercise can limit the body's ability to regulate body temperature by sweating and/or skin blood flow, and may contribute to heat exhaustion, heat injury, and exertional heat stroke. To minimize the potential for thermal injury, ACSM experts recommend that athletes attempt to replace fluid losses by consuming fluids at a rate equal to the sweat rate. This can be accomplished by athletes weighing themselves before and after the exercise bout. Recommendations are based on scientific data and observation of athletes suffering from heat injury. ACSM experts also contend that active people, not just endurance athletes, should be mindful of the need for hydration during activity and exercise in the heat and humidity. Those at risk for dehydration and its consequences, such as hikers, skiers and landscapers, can safely continue their activity following the ACSM guidelines. ACSM's Position Stand, "Exercise and Fluid Replacement," is the fourth issue of fluid replacement guidelines and recommendations for fluid ingestion and the prevention of heat injury during exercise. Published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, it is the product of scientific data and expert consensus on the subject. -- Rebecca Forth Colt Foundation Research Fellow Portex Anaesthesia, Intensive Therapy & Respiratory Unit Institute of Child Health 30 Guilford Street London WC1N 1EH __________________________________________________ BritDisc mailing list BritDisc@near.me.uk http://zion.ranulf.net/mailman/listinfo/britdisc Staying informed - http://www.ukultimate.com/informed.asp
