The Sports Archives – 4 Essential Safety Gears You Need to Have if You Play Contact Sports

Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

Whether it’s basketball, football, hockey, or soccer, these contact sports are highly competitive and physically demanding for the players. Sure, the spectators and fans love watching their favorite players go against their opponents. 

But to play the game for as long as you want, you’ll need to have some essential safety kits and equipment. The right protective gear can be the difference between a mild injury and a career-ending one. 

Sure, most of the equipment may not look like much –most aren’t fashionable even– but it’s better to wear an “ugly” looking protective gear and be alive and in good health than to be fashionable and suffer bad injuries. The following are some of the most important safety gear that all sportsmen need to wear. 

Protective Helmets

If you play contact sports like hockey, boxing, or football, a helmet is a must-have. This equipment can often be the difference between a regular tackle and one that ends the player’s career. 

Yet, despite its obvious benefits, many contact sports players often think of it as an optional gear. Players who participate in all forms of contact sports need to make sure that they have and wear this properly fitted headgear during their games. 

The long-term effects of concussions and traumatic brain injuries are serious. Examples of these include personality change, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and early-onset dementia.  

Safety Goggles or Eye Wear

The American Academy of Ophthalmology clearly states that protective eyewear can prevent more than 90 percent of eye injuries that occur during sporting events. 

Athletes who participate in sports like baseball, cricket, and even golf, which involve flying objects and balls would be much safer with the recommended eyewear. Spectators too could do with such eyewear if they’re within the reach of these fast-moving balls –some of which travel at 100 mph. 

For example, a woman was blinded in one eye when a tee shot hit her in the eye during a golf match in 2018. Don’t be a statistic. Wear an eye protector to keep you safe during your games.    

Good and Comfortable Footwear

The last time people played physical sports without shoes was during the pre-historic and caveman era. These days, proper footwear is vital in ensuring safety and performance during sporting events. Not only do they protect your feet, they also prevent certain injuries, improve your efficiency during gameplay, and provide adequate feet support and traction. 

Safety Guards and Pads

From shin guards to shoulder, knee, and elbow pads, these gears provide adequate protection to contact sportsmen. This is why you’ll find them in sports like hockey, football, soccer, skateboarding, snowboarding, lacrosse, and many other games. 

These help the player avoid serious injuries like fractures and sprains if they fall. Some other gear that players should wear include jockstrap, mouth guards, gloves, and recommended clothing accessories. With the right sports kit, safety gear, and equipment, you or your loved one can and will be safer while participating in a sporting event than when you don’t have them on.