Due to the equipment and uniform needed in football, most of the heat problems have been associated with football. Heatstroke deaths in football were the highest in 1995 since the 1978 season. There is no excuse for heatstroke deaths to increase if the proper precautions are taken. Under such conditions, the athlete is subject to heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heat exhaustion or heat stress is overheating of the body due to excessive loss of water.
Heat stroke occurs when the body's cooling system breaks down.
Sweat glands often stop working and the body overheats. When body temperature exceeds 105 degrees, the brain and the organ tissues can begin to die. Ignoring heat exhaustion is a primary cause of heat stroke, but heat exhaustion symptoms are not always present before heat stroke sets in. Although loss of the ability to sweat is the prominent symptom of heat stroke, physically active people may still sweat lightly. These heat illnesses can quickly overcome active people.