SAN ANTONIO – We are now in the thick of the San Antonio summer heat and since people are out and about soaking up the summer sun, it is important to be smart because heat injury is nothing to play around with.
“I’m working out before I go to work,” Elio Rivera said.
Rivera was one of the first people working out at Hardberger Park on Wednesday morning.
“I kind of shoot around like a little bit, do ‘around the world’ and then shoot some free throws at the end before kind of like a cool down for home; then a shower to get up and get going,” Rivera said.
Whether it is playing basketball or doing a workout class it is so important to be safe with water, sunscreen and trying to stay in the shade.
“One of the easiest things to do is stay out of the heat in the middle of the day, try to plan your activities in the cool part the morning or the late evenings,” Dr. Katherine Bartush with UT Health San Antonio Sports Medicine said. “And if you’re not able to do that, you can wear light, loose fitting clothing, sunscreen or a hat. And most importantly, I like for people to hydrate 24 to 48 hours before they know they’ll be out in the peak of the day.”
When being outside, it is possible to forget to stay hydrated.
“Some of the things that you can look out for while you are participating are cold, clammy skin or dry skin when you tend to stop sweating. That can actually be a bad sign. If you notice that you’re thirsty, then you’re already dehydrated. And some of the earliest signs can just be a rash or a sunburn. And we all know how to take care of that,” Bartush said.
Summer safety, however, doesn’t just pertain to people playing sports.
“It’s important to remember that heat illness doesn’t just affect our athletes who are maybe playing sports on a field, but it can affect our weekend warriors or our everyday active people like those doing yard work in San Antonio,” Bartush said.
As for Elio, he says he always tries to play it safe.
“Make sure you get hydrated. If you’re going to work out, do it early in the morning, because in the afternoon it gets really, really hot and with the humidity,” Rivera said.