When scorching summer temperatures create dangerous conditions for athletes, Dr. Brendon McDermott is often asked to share his findings in the field.
“My goal in the research that I do is to prevent sudden death in sports. Death is 100 per cent preventable with exertion heat stroke, even if it ends up happening. My goal is to get that out to people,” said McDermott, associate professor and clinical coordinator in the graduate athletic training program at UTC.
McDermott recently participated in the 2010 National Secondary School Athletic Healthcare Conference. The webinar brought together coaches, healthcare providers, administrators and parents in one of the largest conferences of its kind in the country. Originated in Louisiana, participants from more than 200 cities logged on to watch presentations on heat related injuries, concussions, selection and safety of sports equipment and other topics.
“Managing Heat-Related Illnesses in High Schools,” McDermott’s presentation, included information on dehydration, heat exhaustion, exercise-associated muscle cramps, and other issues.
“My presentation is research and evidence based, with a focus on the most severe heat illnesses, and on what research tells us we should be doing clinically to guide practices, so that coaches know how to avoid illness and fatalities,” said McDermott.
McDermott said it can be a challenge to simulate the risks posed to athletes but there are ways to conduct research without putting athletes at risk.
“We test subjects during their regular outdoor training or activities. We’ll research and see how hot they get in practices or we’ll measure the temperature of people who are exercising outdoors in the heat,” said McDermott.
