Keep cool when exercising in summer heat Keep cool when exercising in summer heat Summer finally has arrived, and some of the couch potatoes are ready to get out and exercise. Whether you're active year-round or just come out of hibernation for a few months each year, there are a few things to remember when exercising or participating in sports when the mercury rises. Heat cramps generally occur in the calf and hamstring muscles and cause pain because of a lack of fluids, Beck said. Treatment includes drinking plenty of water, and stretching and massaging muscles. Heat exhaustion, also caused by a lack of fluids and prolonged activity in heat, can cause light-headedness, nausea, headache and skin to turn cool.
Treatment includes drinking plenty of fluids, and getting to a shady or air-conditioned place.
The third, and most serious, heat injury is heat stroke. Symptoms include flushed skin, rapid pulse, confusion and possibly unconsciousness. Someone suspected of having a heat injury should be moved to a shady or air-conditioned place where cool, wet towels should be applied. In severe cases, the person should be taken to an emergency room. Copyright 1997, University of Kentucky.