HEAT AND COLD ILLNESSES DURING DISTANCE RUNNING

Many recreational and elite runners participate in distance races each year. When these events are conducted in hot or cold conditions, the risk of environmental illness increases. However, exertional hyperther mia, hypothermia, dehydration, and other related problems may be minim ized with pre-event education and preparation. This position stand pro vides recommendations for the medical director and other race official s in the following areas: scheduling; organizing personnel, facilities , supplies, equipment, and communication; providing competitor educati on; measuring environmental stress; providing fluids; and avoiding pot ential legal liabilities. This document also describes the predisposin g conditions, recognition, and treatment of the four most common envir onmental illnesses: heat exhaustion, heatstroke, hypothermia, and fros tbite. The objectives of this position stand are: 1) To educate distan ce running event officials and participants about the most common form s of environmental illness including predisposing conditions, warning signs, susceptibility, and incidence reduction. 2) To advise race offi cials of their legal responsibilities and potential Liability with reg ard to event safety and injury prevention. 3) To recommend that race o fficials consult local weather archives and plan events at times likel y to be of low environmental stress to minimize detrimental effects on participants. 4) To encourage race officials to warn participants abo ut environmental stress on race day and its implications for heat and cold illness. 5) To inform race officials of preventive actions that m ay reduce debilitation and environmental illness. 6) To describe the p ersonnel, equipment, and supplies necessary to reduce and treat cases of collapse and environmental illness.