Roundtable on preseason heat safety in secondary school athletics: Environmental monitoring during activities in the heat

Abstract

Objective: To develop best-practice recommendations using thermal indices to determine work-to-rest ratios and facilitate further implementation of environmental monitoring for heat safety in secondary school athletics in the United States. Data Sources: A narrative review of the current literature on environmental monitoring for heat safety during athletics was conducted by content experts. A list of action-oriented recommendations was established from the narrative review and further refined using the Delphi method. Conclusions: Assessment of wet bulb globe temperature at the site of activity and throughout the duration of the event is recommended to assist clinicians and administrators in making appropriate decisions regarding the duration and frequency of activity and rest periods. Activity-modification guidelines should be predetermined and approved by stakeholders and should outline specific actions to be followed, such as the work-to-rest ratio, frequency and timing of hydration breaks, and adjustment of total exercise duration, equipment, and clothing. Furthermore, integration of exertional heat illness injury data with environmental condition characteristics is critical for the development of evidence-based heat safety guidelines for secondary school athletics. Athletic trainers play an essential role in conducting prospective injury data collection, recording onsite wet bulb globe temperature levels, and implementing recommendations to protect the health and safety of athletes.