FMOL and LSU Test Heat-Illness Wearables With Athletes
A yearlong study in Baton Rouge tracks high school athletes' core body temperatures to predict dangerous heat exposure.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Stroke
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FMOL Health and LSU researchers have launched a yearlong study testing wearable heat-illness devices with athletes. The devices track core body temperatures in real time alongside on-field environmental conditions.
Why it matters
Heat illness is the top preventable cause of death among U.S. high school athletes, and researchers aim to stop emergencies before heat exhaustion progresses to heat stroke. Baton Rouge-area schools could benefit if the technology proves effective.
The study enrolls more than 100 high school athletes voluntarily with parental consent through the spring, funded by a grant of nearly $210,000. Whether the predictive algorithms will accurately trigger coach alerts remains untested.
The players
FMOL Health
A Baton Rouge-based health system affiliated with Our Lady of the Lake, which partners with LSU on the study.
LSU
Louisiana State University, whose researchers are co-leading the wearable heat-illness testing project.
The details
Researchers are pairing wearable devices that measure athletes' core body temperatures with wet-bulb globe temperature, wind direction, and wind speed to build predictive algorithms. The project starts with players from Prairieville High School in Ascension Parish Public Schools, and the underlying technology was previously tested with police and fire rescue teams.
Timeline
Through the spring: more than 100 athletes participate in the study.
Yearlong: duration of the collaborative study.
Health Landscape
The study is funded through the Our Lady of the Lake and LSU Championship Health Partnership's Collaboration in Action Program, which supports joint clinical and academic research in Louisiana. It extends that collaborative model to preventing heat-related deaths in youth sports.
If the devices prove effective, families of student athletes could see heat-monitoring wearables introduced at school practices and games. Parents of participating athletes have already consented to the study through the spring.
The takeaway
Monitoring core body temperature in real time may let coaches act before a heat emergency escalates. Athletes and parents should watch for early warning signs such as dizziness, nausea, and confusion during hot practices.
Further reading
For more on heat-related medical risks, explore our Stroke coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBRZ.
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