Heat-related illness
Exposure to abnormal or prolonged amounts of heat and humidity without relief or fluid intake can cause various types of heat-related illness. Sweating is one of the body's normal cooling- mechanisms. When training or participating in any sports you may not be getting enough fluids needed. Over weight or wearing heavy clothing during exertion is also a bad idea if you are training in hot weather.
There are three types of heat-related illnesses;
Heat cramps
the mildest form of heat injury and consist of painful muscle cramps and spasms that occur during or after intense exercising and sweating in high heat. Football players may often get Heat cramps when training on a hot day or with direct exposure to the sun, with their coaches pushing them to the limit, they dont realise a heat cramp has occured until the player is in pain on the floor or worse; that it has developed into heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion
this is more severe than heat cramps and results from a loss of water and salt in the body. It occurs in conditions of extreme heat and excessive sweating without adequate fluid and salt replacement. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body is unable to cool itself properly and, if left untreated, can progress to heat stroke. As mentioned before any excessive training performed without fluid could be vital, as runners may be on a 3 mile run and run out of water. By sweating a lot they are losing lots of fluid and not replacing it with water or anything hydrating resulting in heat exhaustion which could again develop into heat stroke.
Heat stroke
the most severe form of heat illness, heat stroke. This occurs when the body's heat-regulating system is overwhelmed by excessive heat. It is a life threatening emergency and requires immediate medical attention. When going through these stages of heat cramps, exhaustion and stroke the symptoms may not be obvious to coaches or trainers who may be trying to push you to succeed however by the time they notice anything, the performer is suffering intensly, a rush to the hostpital or death.
Hypothermia
In cold temperatures you begin to lose heat faster than you can produce it. Pronologed exposure to cold may result in hypothermia or abnormally low body temperature. Body temperatures that drop too low affect the brain and make it difficult to think clearly or move quickly. If you were participating in a skiing activity this may occur in the place you are training in, it could be extremely dangerous to ski in these conditions if you are not prepared. Hypothermia is dangerous because you may not know it is occurring until it's too late, for example; If you are skiing down a hill and you get hypothermia you will not be able to think clearly or move quickly, this could result in a downhill fall from lack of concentration.
