It is almost that time of year again; summer is right around the corner. That means hot, sunny and humid days. Often all at the same time.
We are already starting to see temperatures in the mid 80s, and it is only going to get hotter. For those of you outdoorsy types and exercise junkies, this one is for you. Today we will be going over different levels of exertional heat illness.
To start off, we will touch on heat cramps, which while not technically associated with heat illness can often be an indicator that someone is approaching heat illness, or they might be suffering them in conjunction with heat illness.
Common signs of heat cramps are tics, twinges, stiffness or even uncontrollable muscle contractions, which can be quite painful. While often associated with exercise on hot and humid days, heat cramps can actually occur during exercise in any temperature.
Things that you can do to help prevent heat cramps is to make sure that you are well hydrated, get a good warm-up in before exercising and stretch properly. If you are experiencing heat cramps, you should first try to find somewhere shaded and/or cool to rest. While you rest, try to gently stretch out the cramping muscle and have something to drink, ideally something with electrolytes to help replenish both your bodys water and electrolyte balance.
The next level of heat illness is called heat syncope. Heat syncope is most likely to occur during the first one to two weeks of exercising in high heat and humidity.
