The Nitty Gritty to Soccer Safety
Rebecca Blain
As soccer is one of the most well loved sports on Earth, many
children and adults are lured into participating in playing on a
daily basis. Due to this wide spread popularity, soccer injuries
are very common.
With over 80,000 adults and children going to emergency rooms
every year as a result of soccer, knowing the safety rules is
vital. When playing and watching, there are certain things that
you should always be aware of so that you and your teammates or
family members are not among those hurt through either playing or
watching. There are several categories of safety rules that you
should be aware of. These consist of the following:
On Field Safety
Of all of the categories, on field safety is the one that players
are constantly aware of. This is where most children and adults
are injured. Whether it is a sprained ankle from tripping over
the ball, collisions, and other accidents, there are several
things that you can do to prevent injury. Sprained ankles are one
of the most common soccer injuries, as there is a great deal of
foot work involved.
These injuries can be avoided by using a slight amount of caution
when passing or receiving the ball, as well as taking care when
running down the field. Proper foot position when handling the
ball is one of the most effective ways at preventing this type of
injury. Unfortunately, accidents will happen, regardless of how
careful you are. By being diligent, you can make certain whatever
injuries you sustain are minor and should not interfere with
future game play. The key rule to preventing injuries on the
field is to always be observant. Know where the ball is and know
who is around you.
Goal Safety
Whether you are the goalie, or a player on defense, the goal can
occasionally become a safety hazard. In most instances,
collisions with goal or goalie are caused by lack of observation.
Whether you trip and fall into the goal posts, or hit the goalie
by accident, you need to make certain that you are always
watching where you going when moving in to score. Not only can
this action cause injury, it can also get you carded which could
potentially have you removed from the game.
Another point to consider when shopping for 8 x 24 soccer goals,
is to consider goals with rounded posts instead of square posts.
When colliding with a post, you're more likely to skip off a
rounded one and avoid serious injury.
Stadium Safety
For parents, guardians and friends, there are a few stadium
safety tips that tend to be neglected when the subject of soccer
safety comes up. Occasionally a player can lose control of the
soccer ball, and it enter the stands where you are observing the
game. Injuries due to being hit with the ball, or any other piece
of equipment that flies your way, can be easily prevented by
making certain you pay attention at all times.
Running through the stands, or through the player's area can be
dangerous to you and others. As a rule, common sense is the best
safety precaution you have. If it involves doing something that
could harm yourself or others, such as walking over the back of
the bleachers, climbing over people and tall benches, it should
be avoided for your sake and others.
Equipment
Without soccer safety equipment, all of the in game rules would
be ineffective. Shin guards, cleats, jerseys and proper fitting
shorts and socks all work together to ensure that every player
can enjoy the game without being at high risk of injury. Shin
guards are used to prevent bruising or breaking of the lower
portion of the leg, where cleats and soccer balls are highly
likely to hit you. Without these, such as lotto shin guards, you
put yourself at high risk.
Wearing a proper pair of cleats, such as the ones designed by
Nike, gives you more grip into the turf. This grip helps to
prevent sprains and breaks in the ankles. These shoes also give
your feet adequate protection from other pairs of cleats and
impact with the soccer ball.
Proper fitting clothing, ranging from the jersey, shorts and
socks, contribute to player comfort. This is important, as
distractions from the game can lead to injuries to yourself and
others. It is always advisable to wear your proper jerseys to
practice or to games. Specially designed jerseys and shorts are
designed to handle the rigors of soccer. The fabric in particular
is designed to stand up against grass stains as well as be
comfortable.
Weather
One aspect of soccer safety that is forgotten by many players and
parents is weather conditions. Playing in the rain can be a fun,
invigorating experience, treasured by players for years to come.
Despite this, playing in muddy conditions is dangerous. The
slipping and sliding that creates a great deal of the enjoyment
taken from playing soccer in the rain leaves room for a wide
variety of different injuries. If you choose to play soccer in
the rain, make certain you take every precaution possible, from
wearing cleats, guards and your protective gear.
When a full fledged storm comes up, complete with thunder and
lightning, game play should be ended immediately. A soccer field
is the worst place to be in the middle of a lightning storm, and
parents as well as players have been killed or maimed by
lightning. If lightning is spotted and your referee does not end
the game, you should still leave the field as soon as possible.
Miscellaneous Accessories
Before you play soccer, you need to make certain that you are not
wearing miscellaneous accessories such as earrings, anklets and
other pieces of jewelry that could be broken or cause harm.
Earrings in particular are prone to being torn from earlobes when
contact is made with a soccer ball. By removing these pieces of
jewelry and other items of this nature, you can help prevent
injuries to yourself that could be disfiguring. If you are
considering getting piercings and you play soccer, you may want
to consider planning to have your piercings done when the soccer
season is over.
If you keep all of these things in mind while playing or
observing soccer games, you should be able to enjoy the sport
while being at low risk of injury.
Rebecca Blain is a professional and hobbyist writer who enjoys
taking care of her Siamese Fighting Fish and educating people
about soccer cleats which you can read about here:
http://www.everything-soccer.com/replacement-soccer-cleats.html
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