Hawaii has been getting a lot of rain these past few weeks, and it hasn’t helped with cooling our daily temperatures with all the humidity left behind.
It’s also football season, which makes it even hotter for the athletes forced to wear their helmets and pads while still doing intense physical activity.
On Friday, high school football players in Aiea pressed on through the rising temperatures with water nearby to fight against dehydration.
“The heat and humidity, yeah, it’s really high and we’re just trying to deal with it in terms of education and prevention hydration and where we can deal with it like that,” said Athletic Trainer Sam Lee.
While the star players are the ones taking home the trophies, the most valuable people at these games nowadays seem to be these trainers. Their roles have become even more important this season because of the record temperatures.
“I would say it’s 100 percent important to keep our boys hydrated, just to get them not cramped up and stuff,” said Kenna Kalauawa, Aiea High School student.
Some public schools have even started to use new equipment this season to measure field temperature in order to make sure conditions aren’t too hot to be practicing in.
Many trainers have also stepped up their game in regards to educating their athletes, but if it’s too late…
“At that point, we’re just trying to stretch you, trying to hydrate you with water and sports drinks with electrolyte if you have that available, just trying to cool your body down,” said Lee. “If it should get into heat exhaustion or heat stroke, that’s a medical emergency. We need to get you into water immersion, in cold water immersion – I need to bring your body temperature down.”
Another safety measure some trainers have been doing is putting pools of cool water out for their athletes, which usually happens at cross country events where runners are more susceptible to heat exhaustion.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://www.kitv.com/news/hs-athletic-trainers-battle-rising-temperatures/35119920