Heat and Sport
Extreme Heat Risk and Response Guidelines
SMA’s Extreme Heat Risk and Response Guidelines outlines practical strategies to reduce heat-related risk across more than 30 popular Australian sports — from football, cricket and tennis to rowing, cycling and athletics.
The guidelines are relevant to all Australians who are physically active, but they are particularly valuable for health professionals promoting physical activity, as well as coaches, fitness leaders and sports administrators.
They provides advice on:
- Using the Sports Heat Tool assess heat stress risk.
- Recommended actions for Low, Moderate, High and Extreme risk conditions
- Hydration, rest breaks and clothing modification
- Recognising and managing signs of heat-related illness
Staying safe in the heat
Everyone involved in sport has a role to play in keeping participants safe. Simple actions can make a big difference:
- Stay hydrated before, during and after activity
- Wear lightweight, breathable clothing
- Take frequent rest breaks and seek shade
- Use cooling methods such as ice towels or misting fans
- Delay or cancel play if conditions reach Extreme risk levels
Recognising heat-related illness
Exercising in hot conditions can quickly lead to serious heat illness. If someone collapses, appears confused, or shows signs of dizziness, nausea or loss of coordination, stop activity immediately, move them to a cool or shaded area, and begin active cooling. Any collapse in hot conditions should be treated as potential heat stroke. Call an ambulance immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQ answers common questions about heat risk in sport and how to use the Extreme Heat Guidelines and Heat Tool in real-world settings.
Can forehead or laser thermometers accurately measure core body temperature?
No. Handheld forehead or laser thermometers measure skin temperature, not core body temperature. Skin temperature is heavily influenced by external factors such as air temperature, sun exposure, shade and sweating. As a result, these devices do not provide a reliable indication of core temperature and are not useful for assessing heat illness risk during sport.
How should athletes prepare from a hydration perspective?
Starting an event dehydrated increases the risk of heat-related illness. Athletes should ensure adequate fluid intake in the days leading up to an event, following general daily hydration recommendations.
On the day, water should be readily available during activity, and athletes should also prioritise rehydration after exercise. While hydration is important, it should be combined with other heat mitigation strategies.
How should indoor sports assess heat risk?
Assessing heat risk indoors is challenging because indoor conditions vary widely and cannot be captured by weather stations.
For indoor sport, it is recommended that organisers use high-quality environmental monitoring devices within venues to measure temperature, humidity and airflow. Still air, poor ventilation and high activity intensity can all increase risk. While indoor data cannot currently be entered into the Heat Tool, this is an area being considered for future development.
Is the Heat Tool designed for adults or children?
The current Heat Tool and Guidelines are primarily designed for adult community sport, but they can still be applied in junior sport settings with appropriate caution.
Evidence suggests that children aged approximately 10 to 16 years are not at greater physiological risk of heat illness than adults. However, children may respond differently to heat stress behaviourally, for example by not recognising warning signs or failing to modify activity or seek cooling.
When using the Heat Tool for children’s sport, organisers should err on the side of caution. Future updates are expected to include minor adjustments for junior sport, largely based on behavioural rather than physiological factors.
Can heat illness occur even when the air temperature is not very high?
Yes. Heat illness is influenced by more than just air temperature. Activity intensity, duration, clothing, humidity and airflow all play an important role.
Even in moderate temperatures, athletes working at high intensity for prolonged periods, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated environments, can be at risk. Heat risk management should therefore be considered as part of routine best practice, not only during heatwaves.
Does playing surface (synthetic turf vs natural grass) affect heat risk?
Playing surface is not factored into the Heat Tool, as surface temperature has minimal impact on overall heat stress risk.
Although synthetic turf can be significantly hotter than natural grass, there is little direct heat transfer to the body, as contact is limited and footwear provides insulation. Any additional radiant heat is considered negligible at body height. From a whole-body heat stress perspective, surface type is not a major concern.
Can the Heat Tool be integrated into other sport apps?
Integration into existing community sport apps is technically possible. Understanding which platforms are most widely used would help inform future development, particularly to reduce app fatigue. This is an area being explored for future enhancements.
Would sport-specific heat stress data improve the Heat Tool?
Sport-specific core temperature and heat response data can help refine modelling. However, the Heat Tool is designed to support most community sports using well-established core temperature thresholds for heat illness risk.
Highly sport-specific policies are better suited to individual sporting organisations and have been developed separately where required.
Are temperature, humidity, radiant heat and wind equally important?
These factors interact in complex ways and are not weighted individually. The Heat Tool’s algorithm accounts for their combined effect.
While temperature often receives the most attention, humidity is particularly important because it affects the body’s ability to cool itself through sweat evaporation. High humidity can significantly increase heat stress risk, even when temperatures are lower.
How is heat risk assessed for water sports?
Water sports involve different heat transfer mechanisms than land-based sports, meaning the current Heat Tool algorithms are not suitable for assessing heat stress in aquatic environments.
This is why water sports are excluded from the Tool. If required, separate, sport-specific policies can be developed using appropriate modelling approaches.
Are older athletes at higher risk of heat illness?
Yes. Older adults, particularly those over 65, are at increased risk due to reduced sweating capacity and a higher likelihood of underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
This population is not currently accounted for in the Heat Tool, and this limitation is acknowledged. Including older populations would require further model adjustments and may be considered in future updates.
What are some common myths about heat and sport?
A common misconception is that air temperature alone determines heat risk. In reality, humidity, activity intensity, clothing and individual factors are equally important.
Another myth is that hydration alone is sufficient to prevent heat illness. While important, hydration must be combined with sensible activity modification, rest, shade, cooling strategies and appropriate decision-making.
What is the most important takeaway for practitioners and sporting organisations?
Heat-related illness is a growing challenge for sport, but it is preventable. With appropriate planning, monitoring and response strategies, sport can continue safely even in hot conditions.
The Heat Tool and Guidelines are designed to support informed decisions, helping communities stay active while managing heat risk responsibly.
SMA would like to acknowledge Professor Ollie Jay, Dr Federico Tartarini, Associate Professor Carolyn Broderick and Dr James Smallcombe from The University of Sydney’s Heat and Health Research Centre, for their work in developing these guidelines and webtool.
