Texas Health Westside

Getting Ready TO HIT THE GRIDIRON Football is a year-round passion in Texas — and that means high school players don't stop preparing for fall Friday nights simply because school's out for summer. to TexasHealth.org 4 Heat Alert The biggest obstacle to safe summer training for high school football players: the soaring temperatures that characterize Texas in June, July and August. Players must balance the number of outdoor and indoor workouts. "When it comes to cardiovascular training, running on a treadmill indoors all summer is fine, but athletes need exposure to the elements during the summer so their bodies can acclimatize to the heat and prepare for the rigors of preseason practice," says Douglas R. Turgeon, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician on the medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. "Riding a bicycle or alternating jogging and walking outdoors are excellent ways to adjust to high temperatures without pushing the body too hard. During outdoor exercise, players should wear sunscreen and light, sweat-wicking clothing." be ready for preseason practice — including grueling two-a-day sessions in many cases — and, most importantly, regular season games, players must: • Eat well. Avoid processed foods in favor of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains — typical components of a healthful diet. Protein shakes are fine, but they shouldn't replace meals, according to Douglas R. Turgeon, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician on the medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. • Hydrate. Urine color is an excellent indicator of hydration. A hydrated athlete's urine should be clear or the color of lemonade, not dark, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dr. Turgeon advises football players to drink 24 ounces of fluid — nothing caffeinated — two hours prior to working out and consume eight ounces of fluid — preferably a 50/50 mix of water and an electrolytereplenishing sports drink — every 20 minutes during activity. He also recommends players rehydrate following activity with 32 ounces of a sport drinks or 12 ounces of a drink with a 4:1 carbohydrates-to-protein ratio. • Vary their workouts. If a player spends his entire workout lifting weights in the gym without engaging in aerobic or flexibility exercises, he sets himself up for injury. Dr. Turgeon recommends spending no more than 90 minutes per day lifting weights and 30 minutes performing cardiovascular exercise. Interval training — alternating jogging and sprinting on a treadmill, for example — is an excellent way to build muscle and stamina. "Parents should ensure appropriate foods and fluids are available for their kids and speak with them if they think their student-athletes are pushing themselves too hard in workouts," Dr. Turgeon says. "Teenagers often want to push through injury or illness, so parents must advise young athletes to listen to their bodies and know when to rest." The team of physicians, athletic trainers, therapists and other providers at Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine helps high school football players maximize their potential and get back on the field when injuries occur. For more information about Ben Hogan Sports Medicine, visit TexasHealth.org/BenHogan.

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