Football is one of the most popular sports on the planet, with hundreds of millions of fans following their favorite teams and players in the big leagues and countless athletes of all ages enjoying playing the game themselves. However, it's also one of the most dangerous sports.
Football players are at risk of many different injuries, from broken bones and fractures to traumatic brain injuries like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and those risks get worse and worse the more you play.
The risk of developing CTE doubles every 2.6 years of play, for instance, and young and old players alike need to accept the risks they face each time they take to the field. While advances have been made in terms of safety equipment and sensible rules, the risks of injury are clearly very real and not set to disappear any time soon.
Fortunately, there are ways for players to keep themselves safe and protected on the field of play. Whether you're a player yourself looking to stay safe or a parent seeking ways to protect your kids, here are some useful tips for football fans to keep in mind.
Always Wear Safety Gear
Obviously, the first and arguably most important safety tip for playing football is to make sure you're wearing adequate safety gear at all times. This includes helmets and pads around key areas of the body to protect shoulders, shins, and so on.
Safety gear absolutely must be worn while on the field, and it's vital to choose the correct items for every situation, ensuring that your gear fits comfortably. Loose helmets or pads of incorrect sizes might not provide the proper levels of protection you need.
Respect the Rules
The rules exist not just to ensure that the game flows fairly and smoothly, but to help every player stay safe and reduce the risks of unnecessary injuries. Respecting those rules and being a good sportsman is, therefore, another useful tip to help you stay safe.
When it comes to football, it's especially important to follow the rules when it comes to tackling or making contact with other players. This allows you to set a good example for other players to follow, encouraging everyone to play fairly.
Warming Up
Be sure to warm up and stretch your muscles sufficiently before every game too. This step is often overlooked, even by experienced players, and failing to warm up can really raise your risks of suffering a muscular injury or sprain.
Stretching can also have the benefit of warming up your muscles and body before taking to the field, improving your performance in-game, and allowing you to have more fun too, so it's never a smart idea to skip the stretches.
Check the Field
Any officials for football games should be sure to check over the field of play before the game begins. Potholes, bits of debris, rocks, and other items can sometimes find their way onto the field and could be seen as serious hazards to players.
Players and coaches may also want to get out and check over the field before the game begins as well.
Consider Alternatives
If you're a fan of football but worry about the risks associated with the sport, why not consider some safer alternatives? Options like no-tackle football or flag football exist for kids and adults alike, allowing everyone to enjoy the fun of the game without the need to make contact with one another.
These games are still a lot of fun to play, especially for younger people, and take out a lot of the risks associated with the more serious football injuries like TBI and CTE. They're also a good option for practice sessions and training too.
Sunscreen
It's a simple tip, but it's an important one: wear sunscreen when playing football or other outdoor sports on sunny days. Sunburn might not seem as serious as a broken bone or sprained ankle, but it can be a painful thing to deal with.
Even when the sun doesn't seem to be shining too brightly, spending a long time running around beneath those UV rays could do a lot of damage to your skin cells.
Conclusion
Football is one of the most thrilling and energetic sports to play and compete in, but it's important for every player to know and accept the real health risks this full-contact sport can bring with it. By following the tips above, you can help to reduce the risk of on-field injuries for yourself and other players, helping everyone enjoy the game without any regrets.
