Douglas J. Casa, Ph.D.

CEO-Korey Stringer Institute, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, Department of Kinesiology University of Connecticut

  • Storrs CT

Focused on prevention of sudden death in sport, exertional heat stroke, wearable technologies, hydration, and performance in the heat

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University of Connecticut

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2 min

UConn Expert: An athletic trainer saved my life as a teen. Student athletes don't have to die

Dr. Douglas Casa was a 16-year-old student athlete when he collapsed during a 10K race -in the midst of a life-threatening exertional heat stroke, or EHS, the quick action of an athletic trainer saved him. Now a professor of kinesiology a UConn and CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute, Casa is a leading voice on heat-related illnesses and preventing sudden death in sport -and he has lifesaving advice for parents and policymakers as the summer sports season begins, published recently in the Courier-Journal: Change happens when a few key leaders come together to find a path to advocate for these life-saving policies. The key factor that determines if a high school athlete will live or die is the actions in the first 10 minutes after a condition presents itself. EHS has a 100% survival rate if cooling is done correctly, and proper prevention strategies can prevent nearly all EHS cases. Cardiac conditions survival rates can be as high as 90% when an AED is applied within 3 minutes of onset. When the moment comes and your child’s life lies in the balance, you want to be sure these life-saving policies are in place and that the appropriately trained licensed medical professional (i.e. AT) is on-site. So much hinges on those first few minutes. Most of all, your life will never return to normal if your child dies from a condition that is nearly always survivable when cared for properly. Do whatever you can before they die. Dr. Douglas Casa is available to speak with the media today simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview.

Douglas J.  Casa, Ph.D.

1 min

What happens when the human body gets too hot?

What happens when the human body gets too hot? And what can you do if someone gets too hot? Douglas Casa, professor of kinesiology and chief executive officer of UConn’s Korey Stringer Institute – a leading authority on research, advocacy, and education about exertional heat stroke – explains in this edition of UConn Science in Seconds. The Korey Stringer Institute at UConn was established in honor of the Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Korey Stringer, who passed away from exertional heat stroke in 2001. Looking to know more? Then let us help with your questions and coverage! Douglas Casa is an expert on athletic training, heat illness, and hydration. Dr. Casa is available to speak with media about this topic. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

Douglas J.  Casa, Ph.D.

1 min

Beating the heat – Olympic hopefuls turn to UConn’s experts, finding ways to go for gold while the mercury soars

Athletes spend years preparing for the Olympic tracks and fields, but their performance may also depend on how they adapt and overcome the pressure cooker of summer heat in Tokyo. July temperatures are topping 90 degrees Fahrenheit this year, with humidity coming in close to 88 percent. That’s hot. In fact, the last time Tokyo hosted the Summer Games, they took place in October so that athletes could compete in relative comfort. But these Games are different, and UConn experts are helping to prepare America’s elite athletes for premier competition while the mercury soars. NBC News recently featured how Dr. Douglas Casa and his team at UConn’s Korey Stringer Institute are getting America’s athletes ready. If you’re a journalist looking to learn more about these techniques and the critical importance of being prepared to compete in adverse weather conditions, then let our experts help. Dr. Casa is a professor of kinesiology and the CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute at UConn – the institute was established in honor of the Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Korey Stringer, who passed away from exertional heat stroke in 2001. An expert on athletic training, heat illness, and hydration, Dr. Casa is available to speak with media about this topic. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

Douglas J.  Casa, Ph.D.

Biography

For the past 20 years, Dr. Casa has worked toward his goals at the Department of Kinesiology, College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut. During this time he has published more than 250 peer-reviewed publications/book chapters and presented more than 500 times on subjects related to exertional heat stroke, heat-related illnesses, preventing sudden death in sport, maximizing athletic performance in the heat, and hydration. Dr. Casa has successfully treated 295 cases of exertional heat stroke (with 0 fatalities). In October 2005 and 2010 the Department of Kinesiology doctoral program at the University of Connecticut was ranked number 1 in the country by the National Academy of Kinesiology (for 20005-2105). Additionally, in September 2010 the National Research Council ranked the faculty in the Department of Kinesiology number one for research productivity.

Dr. Casa is CEO of Korey Stringer Institute at UConn, and was named full professor of kinesiology in August 2010. He was named a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor by the University of Connecticut in June 2023. In 2008 he was the recipient of the medal for distinguished athletic training research from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. In 2016 Dr. Casa received the highest honor in his field when he was named a fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology (FNAK #556). He was named a fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in 2008. He received the Sayers “Bud” Miller Distinguished Educator Award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in 2007 and has been a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine since 2001. In 2011 he was inducted into the University of Florida alumni hall of fame. He has been a lead or co-author on over 15 sports medicine (ACSM, NATA) position statements/consensus statements/roundtables related to heat illness, hydration, and preventing sudden death. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Athletic Training, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sports and on the editorial board of Current Sports Medicine Reports, Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Dr. Casa has worked with numerous media outlets across the country in discussing his research including the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America, ESPN, CNN, PBS, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

Areas of Expertise

Elite Atheletes
Hydration/Dehydration
Fluid-Electrolyte Balance
Exertional Heat Illnesses
Wearable Technologies
Preventing Sudden Death
Heat Stroke
Exercise & Heat
Thermoregulation
Athletic Training

Education

University of Connecticut

Ph.D.

1997

University of Florida

M.S.

1993

Allegheny College

B.S.

1990

Affiliations

  • Journal of Athletic Training, Section Editor
  • Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, Editorial Board
  • Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
  • Current Sports Medicine Reports, Editorial Board

Accomplishments

National Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame

2024-06-25

Induction into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame honors athletic trainers who exemplify the mission of NATA through significant, lasting contributions that enhance the quality of health care provided by athletic trainers and advance the profession.

Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor

2023-06-28

The highest honor the University of Connecticut bestows on its faculty, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors must excel in all three areas of research, teaching, and public engagement.

Fellow

National Academy of Kinesiology

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Media Appearances

Takeaways from AP report on perils of heatstroke for runners in a warming world

Seattle Times  online

2024-08-30

Douglas Casa is director of the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute, named for the Minnesota Vikings lineman who died of heatstroke in training camp in 2001. He’s been researching athletes and exertional heatstroke for some three decades.

“I can’t guarantee everything that is going to happen in the future,” Casa said. “But based on over 3,000 cases we’ve tracked, if someone’s temp gets under 104 within 30 minutes of the presentation of heatstroke, no one has ever died.”

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‘It’s amazing’: Inside look at how the Carolina Panthers are keeping cool this summer

Lancaster Online  online

2024-08-13

Dr. Douglas Casa, CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, has been advising the NFL and its teams on heat-related illness prevention since 2010.

Casa, who is part of the NFL’s general medical committee, said the trailers can be assets in heatstroke prevention.

“We’ve seen them in some big-time college programs, NFL programs,” Casa told The Charlotte Observer. “I’m a huge fan of them if they are using them during rest breaks, recovery periods ... basically like a big chill zone — cause you’ve seen the misting fans and the other ways people cool down — so it’s a way that you can get a lot of people cooling at the same time.

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Why I Douse My Whole Body With Cold Water Every Night

Wirecutter - The New York Times  online

2024-06-21

Douglas Casa, who heads the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, said warning signs of heat stroke include “confusion, combativeness, [and] being extremely lethargic.” Casa told me that getting a person’s body temperature down fast, within 30 minutes of the onset of heatstroke, is crucial: “When that’s been done, survivability has been 100%.” Some people—including those with underlying health conditions, those over 65, very young children, and people in spaces without AC—are at especially high risk for heat illness.

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Articles

An athletic trainer saved my life as a teen. Student athletes don't have to die

Courier Journal

2023-05-09

When I was 16 years old, I was running a 10K race at the Empire State Games. Through my youth, I dreamed of representing Long Island at the finals. I accomplished my dream as a rising senior. On Aug. 8, 1985, I took to the track on a warm morning, ready to run the fastest I ever had. With a half lap to go, I collapsed and immediately got back up. I ran the final turn and collapsed again. I would not get up from the second collapse. I was in the throes of an exertional heat stroke.

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Top 10 Research Questions Related to Preventing Sudden Death in Sport and Physical Activity

Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

Rachel K. Katch, Samantha E. Scarneo, William M. Adams, Lawrence E. Armstrong, Luke N. Belval, Julie M. Stamm & Douglas J. Casa

2017

Participation in organized sport and recreational activities presents an innate risk for serious morbidity and mortality. Although death during sport or physical activity has many causes, advancements in sports medicine and evidence-based standards of care have allowed clinicians to prevent, recognize, and treat potentially fatal injuries more effectively. With the continual progress of research and technology, current standards of care are evolving to enhance patient outcomes. In this article, we provided 10 key questions related to the leading causes and treatment of sudden death in sport and physical activity, where future research will support safer participation for athletes and recreational enthusiasts. The current evidence indicates that most deaths can be avoided when proper strategies are in place to prevent occurrence or provide optimal care.

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Biomarkers in Sports and Exercise: Tracking Health, Performance, and Recovery in Athletes

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Lee, Elaine C. Ph.D; Fragala, Maren S. Ph.D; Kavouras, Stavros A. Ph.D; Queen, Robin M. Ph.D; Pryor, J. Luke Ph.D; Casa, Douglas J. Ph.D., ATC

2017

Biomarker discovery and validation is a critical aim of the medical and scientific community. Research into exercise and diet-related biomarkers aims to improve health, performance, and recovery in military personnel, athletes, and lay-persons. Exercise physiology research has identified individual biomarkers for assessing health, performance, and recovery during exercise training. However, there are few recommendations for biomarker panels for tracking changes in individuals participating in physical activity and exercise training programs.

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