During summer training, athletes need to guard against dehydration and overuse injuries. However, another major health risk is on the rise: Lyme disease caused by tick bites.
The U.S. reported more than 89,000 Lyme disease cases in the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest experiencing the highest rates.
As athletes head outdoors to train, exercise, and enjoy summer sports, they also need to be mindful of ticks as their populations continue to expand.
Whether you’re logging miles on wooded trails or practicing on the field for summer camp, taking a few simple precautions can help keep these tiny pests from turning your workout into a health concern.
Why Are There So Many Ticks?
While tick checks are common during the summer months, they have traditionally been associated with spending time in the woods or in outdoor areas with dense trees and open fields. Now, it seems like you can simply be out walking the dog or spending time outside and find a tick crawling on yourself—or someone you know.
“Changing weather patterns mean that more areas of the U.S. have habitats that can support tick populations than a decade ago,” Erin Dawicki, co-founder of the at-home tick testing kit LymeAlert, said. “Ticks are feeding anytime the temperature is above 34 degrees Fahrenheit. The number of days above 34 degrees Fahrenheit has increased in all 50 states. This gives ticks more feeding opportunities and more opportunities to reproduce, which contributes to growing tick populations.”
What’s worse is that as tick populations grow, the areas where they can be found are expanding as well.
“They become more prevalent in areas where they weren’t as common before,” Dawicki said.
According to Dawicki, ticks can be present anywhere there is grass and trees.
“This can include a city park and areas around a school track,” she said. “Trail edges and overgrown areas, parks with grass, or even the infield of a track are all places where runners can pick up ticks.”
Athletes do not need to panic and skip their workouts out of fear of finding a tick on them. Instead, they should be proactive and follow these tick prevention tips.
How Can Athletes Stay Protected From Ticks?
1. Do a Tick Check After Being Outdoors
As soon as you finish exercising or participating in outdoor activities, inspect your clothing for ticks. Upon returning home, thoroughly check your body, wash and dry your clothes, and take a shower.
“Showering shortly after outdoor activity also reduces the risk of Lyme disease by washing away unattached ticks; however, this should not replace a tick check,” Dawicki said.
Pay close attention to areas behind the knees, under the arms, around the waistband, behind the ears, and along the hairline.
2. Dress Right
“Wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily, and if possible, tuck your pants into your socks,” Dawicki said.
Wear long socks when running through heavily wooded areas or playing sports outdoors. If you’re using insect repellent, consider spraying your running shoes and clothing before heading onto the trails.
3. Be Mindful of Where You Train
It may be better to stick to the track or neighborhood streets rather than overgrown trails. However, ticks can be found almost anywhere.
If you are running on trails, stay in the middle of the path, which is often well-maintained, and avoid brushing against vegetation where ticks are likely to be waiting.
4, Use Tick Repellent
In addition to traditional bug sprays, there are various tick-repellent products made with natural ingredients and essential oils that can provide an added layer of protection. These include tick-repellent stickers and bracelets, many of which are DEET-free.
Of course, these products cannot guarantee complete protection, but they may help reduce the risk of exposure.
What If You Find a Tick?
Do not panic if you discover a tick on yourself during or after a workout. Remove it immediately using fine-tipped tweezers. It’s also a good idea to save the tick in a sealed plastic bag with rubbing alcohol to preserve it for testing.
In some regions, more than 30% of ticks test positive for disease, and research suggests that up to 50% of adult ticks in the Northeast may carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. That’s why having the tick tested and consulting a healthcare provider can be beneficial.
“Use a sticky lint roller at the end of your run to quickly grab hard-to-see nymph-stage ticks, which can be the size of a poppy seed and difficult to spot during tick checks,” Dawicki added.
If you’ve been bitten, clean the area thoroughly after removing the tick. The sooner a tick is removed, the lower the chance it can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease.
Keep an eye out for symptoms, including a rash, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, or joint pain. A bull’s-eye-shaped rash can be an early sign of Lyme disease, although not everyone develops one.
If you believe the tick was attached for an extended period, are unable to remove it completely, or develop symptoms after the bite, contact a healthcare professional.