EmptyMessage board »Message Board home »Sign-in or register to get started
Online now: 2 members: EvilEmpire45, kcgerry; 16 anonymousDiscussion: HOW TO PREVENT A HEATSTROKE
| Posted | Discussion |
| June 20 Capt Kirk 541 posts | It is hot here in Texas and playing softball in the heat of the day requires that a player take some steps to prevent having a heatstroke. We had a player playing league ball suffer a heat stroke: Prevention By Mayo Clinic Staff Heatstroke is predictable and preventable. Take these steps to prevent heatstroke during hot weather: Wear loosefitting, lightweight clothing. Wearing excess clothing or clothing that fits tightly won't allow your body to cool properly. Protect against sunburn. Sunburn affects your body's ability to cool itself, so protect yourself outdoors with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or sweating. Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated will help your body sweat and maintain a normal body temperature. Take extra precautions with certain medications. Be on the lookout for heat-related problems if you take medications that can affect your body's ability to stay hydrated and dissipate heat. Never leave anyone in a parked car. This is a common cause of heat-related deaths in children. When parked in the sun, the temperature in your car can rise 20 degrees F (more than 6.7 C) in 10 minutes. It's not safe to leave a person in a parked car in warm or hot weather, even if the windows are cracked or the car is in shade. When your car is parked, keep it locked to prevent a child from getting inside. Take it easy during the hottest parts of the day. If you can't avoid strenuous activity in hot weather, drink fluids and rest frequently in a cool spot. Try to schedule exercise or physical labor for cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or evening. Get acclimated. Limit time spent working or exercising in heat until you're conditioned to it. People who are not used to hot weather are especially susceptible to heat-related illness. It can take several weeks for your body to adjust to hot weather. Be cautious if you're at increased risk. If you take medications or have a condition that increases your risk of heat-related problems, avoid the heat and act quickly if you notice symptoms of overheating. If you participate in a strenuous sporting event or activity in hot weather, make sure there are medical services available in case of a heat emergency. |
| June 20 SSUSA Staff 3495 posts | The following notice is posted on the Bracket Boards at tournaments where high temperature conditions are expected ... It is ultimately the personal responsibility of each player to take precautions to ensure his/her own hydration needs are met ... Tourney and park staff will do what they can to assist and maintain water supplies, but no guarantees can be made that those efforts will meet with everyone's expectations as to on-demand fulfillment at all times .. COME PREPARED ... Thank you! __________ High Temperatures & Personal HydrationSSUSA provides water and drinking cups in (or available near) each dugout during our tournaments. In almost all instances, support for getting the water deployed and, more important, maintaining the water during the day, falls on the Park Staff at each venue. Park professionals have other responsibilities in the context of field preparation and general facility related tasks. Accordingly, we STRONGLY advise that players come prepared to handle their OWN hydration needs and not to rely solely on the tournament or park staff to be able to immediately respond to water issues in or near the dugouts. The staff will handle water requirements as efficiently as possible, but no guarantees can be made that the timing will meet everybody’s expectations. Thank you for taking the necessary steps to protect your health during the anticipated high temperatures forecast for the week. SSUSA Tournament Staff |
| June 25 armiho211 Men's 70 449 posts | GOOD ADVISE from the MAYO CLINIC ABOVE. During the game, players should drink a 1-3 cups of water between innings, even if you need to force yourself to do it. got extra players ? utilize them... most teams have 2-4 " fast runners " that are used to run for the slow players, HAVE MERCY ON THESE GUYS! Carry a water bottle in your bag, keep it filled in case the water container goes empty. Keep an eye out for your team-mates to see if they are developing any symptoms of heatstroke. common sense sometimes goes out the window during a game, look out for each other, especially the guys that dont want/like to sit.. temps in texas can/will get hotter in the coming months, plan accordingly.. |
| June 27 Rich33 Men's 50 45 posts | Good things to know...thanks for posting. Rich#33 CTA |
| June 28 Wayne 37 Men's 65 773 posts | I always keep my little blood pressure machine with me. At least check your blood pressure if you become light-headed or see some dark spots in front of you. I have congestive heart failure and don't take water pills if I know I'm going to be in excessive heat. I even drink a fair share of water. If you take blood pressure medicine, you might want to check with your doctor about not taking it on those extremely hot days. Stay in the shade as much as possible. Everybody is different, but don't think it can't happen to you. It can do permanent damage to your kidneys. If you've had one before, you are more likely to have another episode. Just because you feel better the next day doesn't mean to get out in the heat again. Really, the best thing to do is go to a hospital so they can put fluids in you. Was down in Austin this past weekend and very thankful for the cloud cover. The sun came out about noon Sunday and as bad as it sounds, I was glad we didn't have to play another game. I drove home (four hours) and the first thing I did was get in the swimming pool for about an hour. Helps the legs and body. |
| June 28 Dancer 115 posts | I played in a tournament last year that was 103 degrees. I actually wore an ice vest and it kept me from passing out. Just can't wear it while I am batting, but I wore it on the field. |
| June 29 Tri18 352 posts | Guys, Great topic as we come in to the hottest days of the year and great information. Let me expand on it a little bit.... You can actually drink TOO much water over extended periods of exercise, dilute your blood sodium levels too much, and get hyponatremia (sp?) which is quite dangerous. Additionally, I have seen athletes whose organs begin to shut down due to dehydration and over exertion. Another very scary and potentially dangerous situation. Mix in small amounts of a sports drink, i.e. Gatorade or Powerade in order to prevent this. Let me again share a product I found when doing the Ironman Triathlons that also greatly prevents dehydration and cramping.... For around $25 a bottle Salt Stick will aid in the prevention of both scenarios while competing in the sun and humidity over long periods of time. It is actually a form of human sweat broken down molecularly and put in a capsule form. I have been using this and sharing it with athletes for over 10 years with always positive results and no cramping. If you want more information you can contact me. Alan Tanner Team 1 Sports 561-718-7504 |
| June 29 nickname36 94 posts | At what temps would senior softball call off a tournament in Texas, Arizona and Nevada, and possibly southern California, or would the almighty dollar out weigh peoples health and lives and well being? |
| June 29 DaveDowell Men's 70 4323 posts | 120° seems like a good round number ... Hilarious (loaded) question, though! |
| June 29 nickname36 94 posts | Whats loaded about the question? Sounds to me the almighty dollar is more important.... |
| June 29 DaveDowell Men's 70 4323 posts | You demean the positive contributions of those who have initiated and posted meaningful advice in this thread, and you do so by an attack on free enterprise by a health and welfare based not-for-profit IRS §501(c)(4) entity ... That's just for starters ... So here's what's loaded about the question: Sounds to me like you may personally lack the skill set to hydrate or shade yourself properly and exercise sensibly in recognition of the environmental conditions ... It should, by any measure, be about you taking personal responsibility for your own health than just expecting outdoor based business to shut down because it's warm outside ... So what's next? ... Golf courses and tennis courts shut down for the summer in Palm Springs, Phoenix and Las Vegas? ... No more Sun Belt marathons in the summer? ... Padlock all the outdoor basketball courts? ... Where do you draw the line? ... If a company does business where it's warm, they should abandon that endeavor because you don't like the weather? ... But heck, at least anonymous-keyboard-courage based rants don't seem to be influenced by the heat in your area! (or maybe they are?) ... Next time you hydrate for the heat, try using a half-full glass instead of a half-empty one ... It tastes better that way ... And it's STILL a hilarious and loaded question! ... |
| June 29 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Dave, you were too limited in your thinking. Many areas (such as northern California near the coast) seldom experience heat over 85º or so. In those cases, even 90º can be considered excessive and dangerous. And have you considered the danger from exposure and/or frostbite when temps turn cold in a normally temperate area. I remember playing in Reno three or four years ago in the Rock N Reno Classic in late May, standing on third base in my shorts and short sleeves, and it started to snow! Shouldn't you have called off the tournament because I didn't have a long-sleeved shirt in my bag? The real answer is that the tournament will be cancelled when a majority of teams call in to drop out in the two or three days before a 100º heat wave! I have never played with a teammate who didn't show up because it was going to be too hot. My favorite experience was pitching 5 games in the central California valley in 106º heat where it was 120º+ on the baked dirt infield. Guess Dave might have cancelled those games if they were SSUSA.:=) |
| June 30 16wood Men's 65 77 posts | If we are 'taking personal responsibility for our own health' we would be moved to ask if there is a point when games would be postponed (based upon heat index)? It seems like a legitimate question from my perspective. I was a senior in high school when the local temp was 118 and they postponed our football game to the next night (Sept, 1964). I was shocked that they did so but their concern was our health. I was playing 50s in August, 1997, in Palm Springs. At 2pm it was 112 (in the shade) and we still played... we theorized that the temp on the dirt was close to 130... Two different organizations, two different postures. BW |
| June 30 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | I bet those leather helmets made it even hotter! |
| June 30 16wood Men's 65 77 posts | As you'll recall, they get pretty stiff in the heat... the single bar face guards were helpful though... The bats in Palm Springs got pretty hot to the touch... we had no composites then... You were probably still the toughest guy in 4th grade... but you were 14 at the time... (-: |
| June 30 nickname36 94 posts | For starters I didn't demean anybody(see my 1st post, simple question). I asked a SIMPLE question about when you would cancel a tournament due to excessive heat and at what temperature, which you still haven't answered. Your still dodging my original question. All you did was make a mountain out of a mole hill. With your way of thinking its sounds like you would still play when there is thunder & lightning in the area(PLAY BALL) or if its rained for a day and half and the fields were swamped(PLAY BALL). Why not play through a tornado or hurricane(PLAY BALL). Where and when does the safety and well being of players come into play, just look at shadow rock upper fields and Hollywood in vegas(PLAY BALL)? And your right I do take personal responsibility for my health and well being because its obvious the tournament directors don't give a damn about it and make the right decision. PLAY BALL!!!!!!! If you need me i'll be in the air conditioning inside the snack bar watching.. Where I live they shut down the airport if its 115 and above because of tire blow outs and soft runways from the heat, why you ask, for the safety and well being of the passengers on the planes. If you still think its hilarious and loaded question then you don't care about the players safety and well being(PLAY BALL). |
| June 30 yankeesfan12 29 posts | Pretty valid questions dave, I'd like to here the answer or answers to. Good questions Mr. nickname36. |
| June 30 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | Numbnuts36, you may have had a valid question if you hadn't thrown in the second part about the almighty dollar. And how can you just ask for a certain temperature? 105 we play 106 we don't? Many factors to consider. |
| June 30 DaveDowell Men's 70 4323 posts | OK, nick and yankee, this is for you ... [1] We are a health and welfare benefit based non-profit corporation (since 1989) and, accordingly, do not expose our players to risk of injury from any sources, including weather ... [2] We never play in lightning/thunder situations ... [3] We stop play (earlier than many players want) in any marginally dangerous field conditions from rain ... [4] We schedule older age groups with a limited number of games per day and play them earlier (whether or not we are in warmer climate locations) ... [5] We constantly monitor the National Weather Service system for approaching changes in weather or potential health alerts ... [6] We provide a link to a 10-day local weather forecast when we do our pre-tournament email information blast to managers and players ... and [7] We put water and cups in/near the dugouts for people who, unbelievably, decline to provide for their own hydration ... And it's not just weather ... We have AED heart defibs at ALL complexes of EVERY event and our Directors are ALL trained and re-certified (at our expense) at least once annually ... We have a career record of 8-1 in player heart attack "saves" from the combination of skilled and dedicated field personnel properly, and without panic, utilizing that equipment ... Those are the "health and welfare of our customers" answers, as inconvenient as they may be to the anonymous-keyboard-courage group ... We're comfortable with what we do and how we do it ... So don't expect any sweeping changes in our core values philosophy based on Message Board commentary ... Hope this helps ... Oh, and nick ... Go back and re-read your own June 14, 2016 post in the "Pay to play a quality tournament" thread about constant complaining ... Now, THAT one is truly hilarious! ... |
| July 2 Capt Kirk 541 posts | Our Austin Senior Softball League plays on Monday's and Thursday's (Day Games). I have noticed a drop off in the number of players who are showing up (smart ones), that puts additional pressure on the players who do. I know that I have played as many (4) games, and the heat/humidity does take it's toll. The things that you should do to stay hydrate seems to go to the wayside in the heat of the battle. The league does a good job in providing water in the dugouts. I'm going to limit my playing to (2) games/day. Capt Kirk |
| July 2 Benji4 Men's 55 289 posts | Dave good response. Let me throw this out. I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN HEALTH AND SAFETY NOT SSUSA. I make the decision to show up and play no matter if it's 120 degrees or 30 degrees. I am responsible for me. I know my body my health issues and my limitations. I don't need your organization to tell me when and if I should play. I bring my own water and I do what I have to do to be prepared to play in any conditions. I would never hold your organization responsible for me....... When it's 130 plus degrees in Iraq I wonder if our soldiers complain or question the military for their health? just sayin............. |
| July 2 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Benji4, good points. I have a couple of guys on my team who are at risk when the temperature is in the low 90s and should not play. I like to play when it is hot, but I drink, drink, drink water and stay in the shade when not on the field. And, like you, I bring my own water and do not depend on the TD to supply it (and occasionally the supplies have been contaminated and caused illness). And I always lather on the sunscreen, highest SPF I can find (currently using 85 SPF as my dermatologist says it DOES make a positive difference to go way, way beyond 15 or even 30). My body, my health, not someone else's responsibility. |
