Clay inhaleation (sp).

[Baselineg]

Question for all the clay courters out there:

When the clay gets dry and dusty are you worried about inhaleing it, i was out playing today and it was so bad that my body is coated in it my shoes are now green so im assuming im also inhaling this stuff.

Any longterm effects if i play on it everyday?.

Im not worried about it just curious.

 

[MAX PLY]

No worries. Have played for many years on clay (of all colors) and other than I now require daily watering and brushing, no side effects whatsoever. Enjoy playing--the dirtier the better (it means you're working hard).

 

[hiltonhead]

lungs

I think it is a valid question. Lots of lung ailments occur over long periods of time.......black lung for instance. Also some of those asbestos casualties. I have no idea what goes into har tru. But would think it not good for lungs. Dry har tru is dangerous anyway, so best precaution would be to make sure owners water.

 

[El Diablo]

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovulcaneconeosis, the longest word in the English language, refers to this very problem. Har Tru contains silica, inhalation of which can lead to lung fibrosis. Crucial to keep those court very well watered. The pro at my club uses extra "lime" in the Har Tru so it holds moisture, and those courts are absolutely never dusty.

 

[jrod]

Excellent question, but a better question would be to ask what's in the air you are breathing everyday? My sense is that is probably 10^5 times more likely to cause you health problems than the silica dust coming off the clay courts you frequent.

 

[El Diablo]

Not such a better question. First, the air you breathe every day doesn't have much in the way of hazardous particulate matter, such as silica dust from Har Tru, which poses vastly more lung risk than chemical pollutants. Chemical auto emissions in this country have been reduced about 98% since the 1970s thanks to catalytic convertors, fuel injection and other techniques. Air is really much cleaner than decades ago in most parts of the country. Second, playing on dusty Har Tru, you breathe whatever is usually in the air PLUS the particulates. The risk of particulates is not to be scoffed at if you play on dusty courts. My mother in law had to have lung surgery because HER FATHER worked at the Brooklyn Naval Yards and she developped asbestos lung disease SECOND HAND from breathing what was on his clothing when he came home. Your point about risk from just breathing ordinary air makes no sense because in medical practice we see essentially no lung disease from any environmental factors other than cigarettes or particulates (clay, dust from work exposure, coal miners breathing coal dust, asbestos in pipe fitters and ship builders, etc.) Whoever heard of environmentallly caused lung disease in people with jobs that do not have some particular type of exposure?

 

[jrod]

Not such a better question. First, the air you breathe every day doesn't have much in the way of hazardous particulate matter, such as silica dust from Har Tru, which poses vastly more lung risk than chemical pollutants. Chemical auto emissions in this country have been reduced about 98% since the 1970s thanks to catalytic convertors, fuel injection and other techniques. Air is really much cleaner than decades ago in most parts of the country. Second, playing on dusty Har Tru, you breathe whatever is usually in the air PLUS the particulates. The risk of particulates is not to be scoffed at if you play on dusty courts. My mother in law had to have lung surgery because HER FATHER worked at the Brooklyn Naval Yards and she developped asbestos lung disease SECOND HAND from breathing what was on his clothing when he came home. Your point about risk from just breathing ordinary air makes no sense because in medical practice we see essentially no lung disease from any environmental factors other than cigarettes or particulates (clay, dust from work exposure, coal miners breathing coal dust, asbestos in pipe fitters and ship builders, etc.) Whoever heard of environmentallly caused lung disease in people with jobs that do not have some particular type of exposure?

I don't mean to diminish the risk associated with silica particulate matter. Quite the contrary. My point was one should try to be equally, if not more conscience of what else you might be exposed to during your normal daily routine.

I am astounded at how incapable people are at risk assessment in their daily lives. The OP was right to raise the question, but he did so because he could actually see and feel the hazard. Chances are there are a number of other potential hazards he has absolutely no clue about...kind of like your mother-in-law.

 

[Baselineg]

Im aware of all the stuff in the air and the fact that is killing me but what can i do about them except wear a mask and never leave my house?.

Im also aware that i might pull out of my parking space and get t-boned by a drunk idiot but you still have to drive right?.

 

[hiltonhead]

Im aware of all the stuff in the air and the fact that is killing me but what can i do about them except wear a mask and never leave my house?.

Im also aware that i might pull out of my parking space and get t-boned by a drunk idiot but you still have to drive right?.

This is just a another mindset of "sh** happens".....a way to make people feel less in control of their lives.....Don't vote, don't push for safer roads, safer mines, don't even choose perhaps to not drive on a dangerous roadway and CERTAINLY don't tell your club to cough up more water for their courts.

 

[jrod]

Im aware of all the stuff in the air and the fact that is killing me but what can i do about them except wear a mask and never leave my house?.

Im also aware that i might pull out of my parking space and get t-boned by a drunk idiot but you still have to drive right?.

Baselineg- Sounds like you are plenty astute as it is...Always question. Never assume. That's pretty much the extent of what is required to minimize risk.

 

[Baselineg]

This is just a another mindset of "sh** happens".....a way to make people feel less in control of their lives.....Don't vote, don't push for safer roads, safer mines, don't even choose perhaps to not drive on a dangerous roadway and CERTAINLY don't tell your club to cough up more water for their courts.

Baselineg- Sounds like you are plenty astute as it is...Always question. Never assume. That's pretty much the extent of what is required to minimize risk.

The reason my club has stopped watering as they should is probley because of the fact i live in jacksonville fl right by the st.johns river, This means watering restrictions in water managment districts, run off from cars being washed, fertilizers in grass etc etc is destroying the largest river in florida.

BTW: i dont vote either, i believe my one vote wont help anything, its a sad reality.

 

[BGod]

I've really never understood the carefree attitude of people playing on dusty courts. You're physically exerting yourself for hours taking in deeper breathes. It must have an effect on some long-time players.

 

[mmk]

I went to a college that produces mining engineers, and I had a professor who was working on ways to reduce coal and hard rock dust in mines to bring rates of black lung and silicosis down. From what I remember, the size of particulates is important - above a certain size they get caught up in your nasal passages and expelled when you blow your nose, below a certain size you basically breathe them in and out. But there is a range of sizes that get caught up in your lungs and cause the damage. I don't remember the numbers, and I doubt anyone has done any studies on the size of silica particulates kicked up while playing on HarTru.
Going beyond the playing surface, all kinds of wool fibers (or whatever the felt on balls is made of) are in the air as well, and I know any time I play, I end up having to blow my nose during most crossovers.

 

[johnwah]

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovulcaneconeosis, the longest word in the English language, refers to this very problem. Har Tru contains silica, inhalation of which can lead to lung fibrosis. Crucial to keep those court very well watered. The pro at my club uses extra "lime" in the Har Tru so it holds moisture, and those courts are absolutely never dusty.

say that ten times fast...

 

[mmk]

say that ten times fast...

Good first word for a spelling bee

 

[norcal]

Rafa's inhaled more clay dust than any one of us will in 100 lifetimes and he seems pretty healthy.

edit: maybe *that's* why he takes so much time between points!

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

@mmk

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovulcaneconeosis, the longest word in the English language, refers to this very problem. Har Tru contains silica, inhalation of which can lead to lung fibrosis. Crucial to keep those court very well watered. The pro at my club uses extra "lime" in the Har Tru so it holds moisture, and those courts are absolutely never dusty.

Spelling bee fail:

Shouldn't that be Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis? Not, Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovulcaneconeosis?
.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Rafa's inhaled more clay dust than any one of us will in 100 lifetimes and he seems pretty healthy.

edit: maybe *that's* why he takes so much time between points!

Possible Red Lung Diesease by the time he hits 45 or 50. Might be worse than Green Lung Disease or HarTru Diesease.