As summer approaches, it is time to cover old debates andnew research on heating and sweating in sports and their rolesin muscle cramping in athletes. Exertional heat stroke also is acontinuing threat, alas, especially in football, but I covered itrecently and will not repeat it here. Recent research on the epidemiology of exertional heat illness (EHI) in 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports finds that EHI is still most common in football, and is characterized mostoften by "heat cramps," followed by heat exhaustion and dehydration. Heat cramps, described as early as 1878 in menworking in extreme heat in gold mines in Nevada, is the termstill used today to describe the severe, spreading, sustained,sharply painful muscle contractions that can sideline athletes.In my opinion, a more precise term would be "sweat cramps." Let the debate commence.
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