How Does A Heatwave Increase An Athlete’s Risk Of Injury?

A warm sunny day is often the ideal time to get out and exercise, train or compete in sporting competitions, but there is a fine line between warm and hot, and the latter can have major implications for your fitness.

Whilst the biggest concern of exercising or competing during a heatwave is the risk of heatstroke due to dehydration, an often-understated concern is the risks that the heat can increase your chances of strains, muscle tears and other sporting injuries.

The reasons for this are somewhat complicated, and there are both positive and negative effects to exercising in the heat.

Exposure to heat boosts blood flow, encourages sweating and increases your heart rate, all of which maximise the effects of cardiovascular exercise.

The problem is that constant exposure to hot weather without proper hydration to make up for the electrolyte imbalances can cause heat-related muscle spasms, where the muscles involuntarily tighten and harden.

These cramps can not only reduce athletic performance but can also increase the risk of overuse injuries, strains and sprains, and a sports massage following rehydration is a beneficial next step in order to gently restore mobility to the muscles and relieve pain.

What heat cramps also do, however, is provide an early warning sign that the body is too hot and sweating is no longer enough to adequately cool the body down.

Continuing to try to play or exercise in the heat without replenishing your body’s reserves of water and electrolytes can increase the risk of heat exhaustion, which can itself increase the risk of exacerbating injuries caused by falls or trips, or heatstroke.

The three-pronged effects of hot weather, overexertion and the additional strain of playing through an injury can all combine, overwhelm the body and the mind and potentially have life-threatening consequences such as dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure and a rapid heart rate.