As the Denver Broncos prepare to face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship this Sunday, doctors are sounding the alarm regarding the severe cold temperatures expected during the game. With kickoff temperatures anticipated to be around 20 degrees and wind chills dipping to 15 degrees, health officials are warning about the heightened risks of frostbite and hypothermia.
In anticipation of the big game, Denver7 has spoken with enthusiastic fans eager to show their support despite the freezing weather conditions. “Not worried about anything. I was built for this,” said Joseph Owens, who plans to attend a fan rally. “We”re born for this Colorado weather. Gotta stay with Colorado weather.”
Another fan, Shane Moore, expressed confidence in the Broncos” performance, stating, “Broncos play better when it”s cold, and you show your support.” Fans Justin Martinez and Chantel Sandoval acknowledged the impact of the cold on their tailgating plans but remained undeterred in their enthusiasm. “We had to adjust a few things due to the cold weather, so we”ll make those adjustments, and we”ll be ready to go,” Martinez shared.
Sandoval noted their modified tailgate menu, saying, “We actually wanted to go out with a Big Bang for this AFC Championship. We were going to have a full buffet brunch. Now we”re having handheld breakfast burritos, bacon and sausage, as well as green chili pozole and green chili soup. So we”re also going to incorporate some hot chocolate to keep our friends and family warm.” Martinez added, “They need us there, and we”re going to show up. That”s just what it comes down to.”
Fans traveling from out of state echoed similar sentiments. Joseph Jerome, visiting from New York, commented, “This cold doesn”t bother me. It”s colder at home right now. So we”re used to it. We get a lot more snow, too. So nothing to us.”
Despite the excitement among fans, health officials are urging caution. “The extreme temperatures this weekend are going to put people at risk for both frostbite and hypothermia,” emphasized Dr. Katie Sprinkel, an ER physician and medical director at HCA HealthONE Aurora and Centennial. She advised fans to be aware of early symptoms, which include tingling in extremities such as fingers, toes, noses, and cheeks.
Dr. Sprinkel explained that while frostnip can be fully recovered from with prompt treatment, frostbite can lead to permanent damage if not addressed quickly. “When nerves have real damage and tissues have real damage, you don”t always get full recovery. And so it”s very important to pay attention to those symptoms,” she said. “Frostbite can happen within minutes in extreme temperatures, and certainly within an hour.”
She also cautioned that alcohol could create a “false sense of reassurance” regarding warmth, making it even more crucial for individuals to recognize symptoms to avoid becoming “falsely comfortable.”
For those attending the game, Dr. Sprinkel provided some dressing advice: “You want to avoid cotton, because that can trap moisture near your core and help you lose heat faster. Dress in layers. Have a windproof layer on top, making sure that your vulnerable areas are covered. If you have access to hand warmers and foot warmers, having external sources of heat can be really helpful.”
In case frostbite symptoms develop, she advised acting swiftly to mitigate damage. “For frostbite, we want to warm gradually. We use warm water. Remember, your nerves are damaged, so it”s going to be hard to sense the temperature of what you”re using. So you need to be careful not to cause further tissue injury by using water that would be too hot,” Dr. Sprinkel explained. “The other thing that could potentially worsen outcomes is having cycles of warming and then refreezing, so once you have frostbite, you need to rewarm and protect it from further injury.”
The AFC Championship game is set to kick off at 1 PM at Empower Field.
