Sport Safety Gear

Thomas B. Evans: ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT for Sports Safety

Essential Equipment

Did you know that playing tennis with a badly strung racquet while wearing worn-out shoes can be just as dangerous as playing football without shoulder pads? Using the wrong — or improperly fitted — equipment is a major cause of injuries.

Thomas Evans takes a look at his list of equipment you should wear while participating in sports and other activities.

Mr. Evans notes “The right equipment is key to preventing injuries.Start with helmets: They’re important for sports such as football, hockey, baseball, softball, biking, skateboarding, inline skating, skiing, and snowboarding — to name just a few.”

Helmut Basics

• Always wear a helmet made for the sport you’re playing.

• When choosing a bike helmet, look for a sticker that says the helmet meets the safety standard set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a federal regulatory agency that creates safety standards for bike helmets and other safety equipment.

• If you use a multisport helmet for inline skating and skateboarding, it is not considered safe for bicycle riding unless it has the CPSC sticker.

• Any helmet should fit snugly but comfortably on your head and shouldn’t tilt backward or forward.

Eye protection though often overlooked is also essential also is a must for many sports.

• The most protective eye gear is made from a plastic called polycarbonate and has been tested especially for sports use.

• Facemasks or polycarbonate guards or shields that attach to a helmet are worn in sports such as football, ice hockey, and softball and baseball when batting.

• Goggles are often worn for soccer, basketball, racquet sports, snowboarding, street hockey, and baseball and softball when fielding.

• If you wear glasses, you’ll probably need prescription polycarbonate goggles — don’t just wear your regular glasses when you’re on the court or field.

• All eye protection should fit securely and have cushions above your eyebrows and over your nose.

Mouthguards can protect your mouth, teeth, and tongue:

• You should wear a mouthguard if you play a contact sport or other sport where head injury is a risk, such as football, basketball, hockey, volleyball, martial arts, boxing, or wrestling.

• Mouthguards can be fitted for your mouth by a dentist or purchased at Sports Stores.

• If you wear a retainer, always take it out before you start to exercise, practice, or play.

Wrist, knee, and elbow guards are important gear, too:

• If you inline skate, skateboard, or ride a scooter, you should wear guards.

• Elbow and wrist guards can prevent arm and wrist fractures, and knee guards can shield your knees from cuts and breaks.

If you play certain sports, especially contact sports, pads are essential:

• All kinds of sports, from hockey to inline skating, use pads. There are shin, knee, elbow, wrist, chest, shoulder, hip, and thigh pads.

• Check with your coach or doctor to find out what kinds of pads you might need for your sport.

Some guys may also need to wear a protective cup (to protect the testicles):

• Guys who play hockey, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and other contact sports should use a cup.

• For noncontact sports that involve running, guys should wear an athletic supporter.

• If you’re unsure, ask your coach, athletic trainer, or parent if you need a cup for your sport.

And last but not least, the right footwear can keep you from tripping and falling:

• You know that sports like football, baseball, softball, and soccer require cleats. But you may not realize that sports like skateboarding and biking need special types of shoes, too. Ask your coach or doctor what shoes are best for your sport.

• Replace shoes and cleats that have worn out or are no longer supportive.

“Important Note: Not only is the right kind of equipment important, so is the right fit.” says Thomas Evans. He stresses to everyone that if you don’t know if your equipment fits properly, check with a coach, gym teacher, athletic trainer, or parent to make sure you have the right size and that you’re wearing it correctly. Many sporting goods stores can also help you find the right fit.

The bottom line: Wearing the right equipment with the right fit dramatically decreases your chances of getting hurt.

About the Author

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