How do sports teams play safely in extreme heat? With this special device
The heat wave is taxing on everyone — but can you imagine playing nine innings of baseball in these temperatures? How do professional or college sports teams monitor whether it's safe to play?They use a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) device. It measures temperature, humidity, sun angle, cloud cover and wind."Normally, you would post it on a tripod. (But the WBGT device) actually moves with the wind," said Dr. Matthew Sedgley, a physician at MedStar Health Primary Care Sports Medicine. "It will give you the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature by calculating it for you. So this is what we use at the sports facilities."Doctors say the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature gives a much more accurate picture of heat stress on the human body — and anyone can buy a WBGT device. But these devices are expensive, costing hundreds of dollars.As another option, visit the National Weather Service's website. If you zoom in and click on the embedded map, you can estimate the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature of any place in the world.
BALTIMORE —
The heat wave is taxing on everyone — but can you imagine playing nine innings of baseball in these temperatures? How do professional or college sports teams monitor whether it's safe to play?
They use a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) device. It measures temperature, humidity, sun angle, cloud cover and wind.
"Normally, you would post it on a tripod. (But the WBGT device) actually moves with the wind," said Dr. Matthew Sedgley, a physician at MedStar Health Primary Care Sports Medicine. "It will give you the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature by calculating it for you. So this is what we use at the sports facilities."
Doctors say the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature gives a much more accurate picture of heat stress on the human body — and anyone can buy a WBGT device. But these devices are expensive, costing hundreds of dollars.
As another option, visit the National Weather Service's website. If you zoom in and click on the embedded map, you can estimate the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature of any place in the world.
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