Why football players cramp more during early season games

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A football game against two local high schools saw several players experience muscle spasms called cramps.

Dr. Winnie Whitaker, Dell Children's Medical Center division director for pediatric emergency medicine, said that heat can increase the risk of cramps and that they can be a sign of more serious heat-related illnesses.

"Kids will start complaining of just being really thirsty and asking for more water. As heat-related symptoms continue and worsen, we start seeing things like confusion...