National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses[1]
Summary
The National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement presents best-practice recommendations for preventing, recognizing, and treating exertional heat illnesses (EHIs), with the relevant thermoregulation physiology and return-to-activity guidance. It stresses that although recognition and treatment are well documented, EHIs persist and exertional heat stroke remains a leading cause of sudden death in sport, and it directs providers to build venue-specific onsite emergency action plans.
So what
The authoritative provider-facing standard for exertional heat illness: it mandates prevention, rapid recognition, and onsite emergency action plans at heat-risk venues, framing exertional heat stroke as a leading, preventable cause of sport sudden death.
Key findings
- Best-practice recommendations for prevention, recognition, and treatment of EHIs.
- Exertional heat stroke remains a leading cause of sudden death in sport.
- Directs providers to establish venue-specific onsite emergency action plans.
Read the paper
- Publisher (DOI) ↗may be paywalled
- PubMed ↗abstract · free