Heat Illness in Football

Exertional heat illnesses (EHIs) are common among athletes, with the most severe form, exertional heat stroke (EHS), being one of the top three causes of death in athletes. Many risk factors for EHI are known and prevention strategies are available to decrease the risk of EHI. While EHS can be deadly, it is 100% survivable if recognized early and treated appropriately in a prompt manner. Cold water immersion (CWI) is considered the gold standard method of cooling with tarp-assisted cooling with oscillation (TaCO) being the only other accepted method of cooling appropriately. While little scientific evidence exists to guide return to play following EHS, consensus recommendations are available and are recommended when guiding athletes back to activities after EHS.