William Jewell College Athletics

Cold injuries are a result of over exposure to a cold environment. These injuries can easily be avoided by limiting exposure and incorporating a re-warming period into practices. Low air and water temperatures with the effect of wind can affect the body’s ability to regulate its core temperature. Exposed extremities can be highly susceptible to injury when not properly covered or not allowed to re-warm in an appropriate period of time.

Re-warming periods need to be incorporated when any of the signs and symptoms of a cold related injury are identified. Symptoms can include:

• Hypothermia: Vigorous shivering, Increased blood pressure, Fine motor skill impairment, Cessation of Shivering, Decrease in vital signs, Slurred speech and impaired mental function.
• Frost bite/frost nip: Swelling, redness, mottled grey skin, stiffness, volatile burning and numbness in the extremity.

If any of these symptoms begin to appear contact your athletic training immediately. If an athletic trainer is not available activate EMS.

Practice considerations:
The following cold weather considerations are in accordance to the NATA position statement on environmental cold injuries:

• 32-26°F (21.116C) and below: Be aware of the potential for cold injury.  Talk with athletic training staff about ensuring kids are in proper cold weather attire along with discussion of re-warming periods, no time restriction appropriate clothing must be worn
• 25-16°F (23.896C) and below: Provide additional protective clothing, cover as much exposed skin as practical, and provide opportunities and facilities for rewarming. 30 minute outside followed with minimum 30 minute rewarming period inside, wet clothing must be removed during rewarming. Second 30 minute session allowed as long as dry clothes are on and all athletes have rewarmed with no signs of cold injuries.
• 15°F (29.446C) and below: Consider modifying activity to limit exposure or to allow more frequent chances to rewarm. Practice plan must be discussed with athletic training staff. All skin must be covered 15 minute max followed by 30 minute rewarming with same clothing protocol. Second 15 minute session allowed if there are no signs of cold injuries
• 0°F (217.786C) and below: No practices or competitions.