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Heat-related illness still deadly problem for athletes

09.02.58

When Casa was 16 and game a 10-kilometer race at the Empire State Games in Buffalo, he collapsed with exertional warmness stroke, a deadly serious illness that can kill if not quickly recognized and treated.

Athletic trainers saved Casa's being by quickly bringing down his body's core temperature with cold, wet towels and ice and getting him by ambulance to an crisis room where he was placed in an ice-filled tub.

That was 1985. Fast forward to Sunday and Casa was among a team in the medical tent at the Falmouth (Muster.) Road Race that cooled 15 competitors, 11 suffering from heat stroke, in big tubs of 50-inchmeal water.

"We've had 414 heat strokes at Falmouth in 39 years and zero deaths," Casa says. "You'd expect people would learn: No one should ever die of heat stroke. It is 100 percent survivable."

Minnesota Vikings belligerent tackle Korey Stringer died of complications from it during training camp 10 years ago this month. Unfortunately, August has proved deadly again: Six high school football players and one coach have died during this summer's great heat wave, though cause of death is not yet certain in every case.

Source: USA Today