title: Keeping sports participants safe in hot weather.
abstract: Keeping in mind the key concepts of heat dissipation and using sound strategies for heat acclimatization and fluid replacement can help keep participants and spectators safe during hot-weather sports activities. Acclimatization to heat requires 10 to 14 days of training. Prudent hydration involves drinking plenty of fluid 2 hours before exercise, 5 to 10 oz of fluid every 15 minutes during exercise, and fluids with increased sodium content after exercise. A sidebar on environmental conditions and heat-related medical encounters during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta illustrates the importance of prevention strategies at the individual and event level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health & Performance Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0110, USA.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Sparling
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Millard-Stafford