23.12.2012 Views

Sports Medicine Handbook - NCAA

Sports Medicine Handbook - NCAA

Sports Medicine Handbook - NCAA

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Cold Stress and<br />

Cold Exposure<br />

June 1994 • Revised June 2002, June 2009<br />

Any individual can lose body heat<br />

when exposed to cold air, but when<br />

the physically active cannot<br />

maintain heat, cold exposure can<br />

be uncomfortable, impair<br />

performance and may be lifethreatening.<br />

A person may exhibit<br />

cold stress due to environmental or<br />

non-environmental factors. The<br />

NATA position statement (2008)<br />

states that injuries from cold<br />

GUIDELINE 2b<br />

exposure are due to a combination<br />

of low air or water temperatures<br />

and the influence of wind on the<br />

body’s ability to maintain a<br />

normothermic core temperature,<br />

due to localized exposure of<br />

extremities to cold air or surface.<br />

The variance in the degree, signs<br />

and symptoms of cold stress may<br />

also be the result of nonenvironmental<br />

factors. These<br />

Wind Chill Chart<br />

factors are, but not limited to,<br />

previous cold weather injury<br />

(CWI), race, geological origin,<br />

ambient temperature, use of<br />

medications, clothing attire,<br />

fatigue, hydration, age, activity,<br />

body size/composition, aerobic<br />

fitness level, clothing,<br />

acclimatization and low caloric<br />

intake. Nicotine, alcohol and<br />

other drugs may also contribute<br />

See reprint access permission for .gov websites: http://www.weather.gov/om/reprint.shtml<br />

29

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!