The human body is comprised of roughly sixty percent water, which is used to cool the body, carry oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles, remove toxins from organs, cushion joints, and moisten skin. It is necessary to maintain a baseline hydration level for day to day training safety and performance of athletes. Unfortunately, forty-two percent of male high school basketball players do not drink enough water.
Symptoms of Dehydration
- Fatigue
- Reduced Anaerobic Performance
- Impaired Vigilance and Decision-Making Skills
- Progressive Decline in Sport-Specific Skills
- Muscle Cramps
- Ingesting additional fluids to alleviate muscle cramps when they occur is too late to relieve the problem for that particular match.
- Increased Body Temperature, Increased Heart Rate, and Cardiovascular Drift
- Dehydration during exercise may reduce body weight (and blood volume) by three to five percent.
- Body Temperature, Heart Rate, and Dehydration are all interconnected and can lead to Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke.
- If Heat Stroke is Suspected, Seek Immediate Medical Attention.
Re-Hydration Schedule
- Teenagers should drink at least 1.8 litres for girls and 2.6 litres for boys.
- Consume fluids before, after, and during exercise.
- Fluids include water, juice, sports drinks, or milk.
- Drink beyond thirst.
|
Time |
Amount of Fluids Consumed |
|
Two hours before workout |
400 to 600ml (14 to 22 oz) |
|
During workout |
150 to 350 ml (6 to 12 oz) every 15-20 minutes, depending on player |
|
After workout |
475 to 650 ml (16 to 24 oz) for every pound lost due to perspiration |
- Athletes can weigh themselves before and after practice to calculate how much they perspire during a typical workout.
- Athletes should take many small servings of fluid at regular intervals.
Voluntary Dehydration
- Young basketball may experience “voluntary dehydration” because they do not ingest sufficient fluids.
- It is not possible to monitor the fluid intake of all athletes but over a season, the adept coach will observe patterns such as poor performance or increased fatigue.
Resource
- Beck, L. (2009, June 18). The power of positive drinking. Retrieved August 6, 2009, from The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/the-power-ofpositive-drinking/article1184675/.