The Dangers Athletes Face in Extreme Heat

As the recent Summer Olympics highlighted, certain sports are geared towards summer, while others are geared towards winter. But with summer sports comes the danger of summer weather and some areas have dangerous highs that make it unsafe for athletes to train or compete outdoors. The most recent FIFA World Cup, a tournament typically held in the summer, was moved to November for the safety of the athletes due to the intense heat in Qatar where it was held.

But this isn't the only sport that has to deal with intense heat. Baseball season in the U.S. begins in April and ends in late September (the post-season extends it for some teams to Oct/Nov) and summer ballgames can encounter scorching days. Although many stadiums in hotter areas have retractable domes, Tropicana Field in Tampa, an area known for its heat, does not. Intense heat can lead to heat stroke which can lead to more serious issues in the future.

To compile this information about the dangers athletes face in extreme heat, 24/7 Tempo consulted medical-related sources. These include Advance ER, Global Sport Matters, and Intermountain Health. For more weather content, click here to read about the hottest temperature recorded on Earth.

There are always risks when an athlete takes the field, no matter the sport. In competitions like football, the athletes wear extra padding to protect their bodies. However, during training camp and early on in the season, coaches must keep an eye on athletes to ensure they aren't too hot.

Baseball, golf, and soccer players don't wear extra padding. However, baseball players and golfers wear long pants. Baseball players do so to protect their legs when sliding on the grass and dirt. Golfers who play on the PGA Tour must abide by this rule because of the dress code on tour.

Soccer players notoriously run multiple miles per match. In fact, during some matches with extreme heat, the match is stopped mid-way through to allow players a chance to rehydrate themselves.

Even with all of the precautions in place by every sport that's outdoors, heat takes a toll on athletes' bodies. People don't take into account that the athletes typically practice outdoors as well. There's seemingly no end to how much heat they absorb and endure.

There are plenty of short-term effects that heat puts on athletes. Spending too much time in the heat as an athlete can result in heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Athletes typically experience major declines in their performance as the games go on.

That's why it's imperative to stay as hydrated as possible. It's also one of the reasons few runs are scored later in baseball games. The relievers coming into games have more in the tank.

Other short-term effects of too much heat can be muscle cramps, and in extreme scenarios, loss of consciousness. Football players are at the most extreme risk of this during training camp and early in the season. The three football teams in Florida – the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Miami Dolphins – play their games outdoors, adding more of a threat.

If not noticed early, these symptoms can become life-threatening. Whenever an athlete complains of not feeling well in extreme heat, they must be taken seriously.

Spending too much time in the heat can lead to plenty of long-term issues as well if the athletes aren't mindful of taking care of themselves. Athletes who spend too much time in the heat can experience heart and kidney issues in the future. The heart has to pump out more blood than normal when you're in the heat, which leads to additional strain.

Kidneys remove waste from your body and controls what's in your blood. More blood pumping means the kidneys must do extra work. The heat can cause individuals to experience anxiety and depression. The way heat impacts your brain can also cause you to have PTSD. To keep themselves safe, athletes must limit the amount of time they're in the heat.

There always needs to be water hand and tons of cold towels. Spending time in cold showers is another way to protect yourself from too much heat. Always listen to your body and go inside when you start to feel bad. For more sports content, click here to read about athletes with the most medals in the Summer Olympics.