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The most common cause of cramp-ing in athletes is dehydration withaccompanying sodium and potas-

sium loss. And the best cure is preven-tion. This article will focus on how bestto help players keep adequately hydratedand aware of foods and beverages which

will help to restore mineral balance.There are other causes of muscle

cramping. These include muscle injury orstrain; obstruction of adequate bloodsupply to muscles due to sustained musclecontractions; or hyperventilation which

prevents the muscles use of calcium.Doctors recommend stretching andsqueezing the affected muscle for on thespot treatment. For example, if its thecalf muscle, squeeze the muscle with one

hand while bending the foot forward towards the thin with theother hand.

Preventing dehydration is no easy chore, especially in hot orhumid weather. Dehydration caused by fluid loss (sweating)and/or inadequate intake not only affects muscle cramping,but also negatively affects performance and can cause seriousand possibly life-threatening heat exhaustion or heat stroke.Unfortunately, every year there are football players who fallvictim to severe dehydration which has resulted in death.

Players can lose up to several pounds of fluid through sweat-ing during each workout or game. Sweat is mostly composed of

water, and therefore water is the key nutrient which needs to bereplaced. Additionally, sodium and potassium are also lost.These mineral losses can easily be replaced by choosing appro-priate foods and beverages (more on this later).

Risky Behavior Your football players are especially at-risk for dehydration and

the negative effects of heat and humidity due to the protectivegear and uniforms they wear. Wrappings, padding, helmets andother similar gear effectively cut off half of the body from bene-ficial cooling of evaporation from sweat.Hint: Schedule prac-tice during he cooler hours of the day, especially morning andlate afternoon, avoiding peak heat and humidity hours.

Full uniforms should be worn during workouts which areperformed during the cooler hours of the day. Players should

wear light jerseys and shorts when its hottest out. Head cover-ings, preferably those that allow air circulation like baseball

caps, should always be worn to protect against the rays of sun. The sun not only causes sunburn, but also depletes enmaking players feel tired.Hint: To determine whether it is sto exercise in the heat buy a wet and dry bulb thermometer

which can be purchased at hardware stores for about $10See Diagram One for guidance on the safety of exercise atferent heat and humidity levels.

Well trained athletes more effectively adapt to high heahumidity. As compared to athletes who are not in good phycal condition, well trained athletes dont begin to sweat asquickly, have adapted a more efficient circulatory responseheat and exercise, and excrete less sodium (in their sweat)potassium (in their urine). As as the pre-season progresses

players bodies will be adjusting to the stresses of exerciseenvironment. Giving players time for their bodies to adjusheat and humidity is critical in protecting their health, optimizing performance and preventing cramps and injuries.

Too Hot is Not CoolCompared to adults, teenagers have several disadvantages wcomes to regulating body heat. First, they sweat less which imtheir ability to endure exercise in high heat. Second, they gate more heat per unit of body mass. Third, they have a lowpacity to circulate heat from their body core to the skin suran important mechanism the body uses to cool the blood. L

teenagers absorb heat from the environment at higher rat

Even Football Players Get Cramps By Judy SimoMS

Football players often

encounter muscle

cramping, also known

as heat cramps,

during training or

competition. You may

notice these trouble-

some and sometimes

temporarily debilitating

symptoms more fre-

quently during pre-

season football camp,

when students are

relatively untrained.

Diagram OneTemperature/Humidity Index

Emergency

Danger Alert

Safe100% Humidity

95

90

85

80

75

7065 70 75 80 85

D r y

B u

l b F

Wet Bulb F*National Weather Service Operations ManualFrom Merkin, G. and M. Hoffman, M.D., The Sportsmedicine Book

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Risk factors for heat illness include lack of acclimatization(i.e., adaptive changes made by the body as a response to envi-ronmental conditions), lack of training, dehydration, gender(men generally have a greater heat tolerance due to highersweat production), impaired or low production of sweat, obe-sity, advanced or young age, illness especially when accompa-nied by fever, and a history of heat illness.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion come on gradually andinclude chronic fatigue, headaches and malaise. Usually it isnot an emergency condition, but it will impair athletic perfor-mance and can cause cramping. Heat stroke is an uncontrolledrise in body temperature and is a more serious situation. Heatstroke typically is sudden situation. Heat stroke typically is sud-den in onset. Symptoms include blurred vision, dizziness, shortand labored breath, burning feeling in chest and parched mouth.

You Are What You Drink Athletes can prevent dehydration by properly hydrating them-selves prior to exercise, consuming beverages during exerciseand drinking plenty of fluids afterwards. But just drinking before and during exercise will not completely prevent de-hydration or loss of minerals. Athletes need to know how tocatch up on their hydration during off-hours.

The easiest way to determine fluid losses during exercise is tohave players weigh themselves naked before and after exercising.For each pound lost, the player should drink two cups (16 oz)of water. Hint: Provide a chart above the scale in the locker room

where players can record these weights. That way they wontforget to do it and you can monitor the teams hydration level.

To replenish water losses, cold water at approximately 40degrees F is preferred, as it is most effectively absorbed by thebody. Myth buster: Counter to past thinking, cold water doesnot cause stomach cramping.

Choosing Food and Drink Water is important to the body for many reasons: sweat coolsthe body, urine carries away waste products, blood deliversnutrients and carries away lactic acid. When the body initially becomes dehydrated, the level of sodium in the blood rises andthe brain signals the thirst mechanism. The desire to drink,however, is not triggered until the body has already lost a sig-nificant amount of water. As a matter of fact, one of the firsteffects of exercise is a blunting of the desire to drink. Athletesshould drink BEFORE they get thirsty.Hint: Tell you playersto quench their thirst and then drink a little more.

Foods high in water content can also help replenish fluidlosses. Beverages should not contain alcohol or caffeine, whichdehydrate the body.Myth buster: Contrary to popular belief,beer is NOT a good post-exercise drink due to its alcohol con-tent and low levels of nutrients. Another relatively poor choiceis soda, whether with sugar or without, since it contributesbasically nothing nutritionally.

Juices, lemonade, non-caffeinated iced tea and carbona water are refreshing beverages to select. So are fruits and bles like salads, raw and canned-in-own-juice fruits, froze

juice bars and raw cooked vegetable dishes.

What your players need most prior to and during exerci water. The average diet will easily replace the sodium lossplayers may choose saltier foods or lightly salted food if th

wish. Interestingly, if a person consumes a low-salt diet, thexcrete less sodium in their sweat.Myth buster: Salt tabletsshould NEVER be taken since high concentrations of sodiin the blood thickens it and can cause blood clots.

Your players can easily replace potassium losses. All frfruit juices (especially orange, grapefruit and banana) andfruited yogurt are good sources of potassium and all veget(greens like spinach and potatoes are notable) are great, toMyth buster: Special sports drinks are not necessary for yplayers. Marathoners and other endurance athletes may befrom consumption of carbohydrate-containing drinks durinexercise, but those situations require substantially more sutained effort than required by football practices and games

Also, although sports drinks usually contain potassium andsodium, they also often contain a significant amount of suand they dont have the vitamins or other minerals that com

with consuming real foods and juices. And they cost more

Drink Long and Prosper To prevent dehydration that can lead to decreased performheat cramping and heat illness, players should:

maintain adequate hydration before, during and afexercise.

eat a variety of foods, especially those high in potas

train gradually to allow players bodies to acclimaheat and exercise stresses.n

For a complete listing of GRIDIRON Coach archived articles, call (877) 262-2464.

How to Keep Players in Fluid Balance Timing Type of Beverage Amount

Before Exercise12 hours before Cold water, diluted fruit 1620 ozexercise juices* or sports drinks

During ExerciseEvery 1015 mins. Cold water**, diluted fruit 810 oz

juices or sports drinks

After ExerciseBegin immediately Water, juices Replace each po

lost with 16 ozDuring meals/ Water, foods, and drinks Generous amounsnacks high in water and potassium

*Fruit juices should be diluted one part juice to two or three parts water since concentrated solutions are slowly absorbed by the bod**Water can be absorbed while exercising.