There is one thing that all new players fear when they first start playing lacrosse, the game looks highly violent from the outside. Many people that want to play the game never end up doing so simply because they are afraid of all the possible injuries that they may get.
Lacrosse is not any more dangerous than other full-contact sport; it is essential to note that it is a full-contact sport at all times. If you wear the right equipment and use the right playing techniques, you won’t be seriously injured or break any bones.
It would help if you learned that the game will always have some dangers and that you will need to learn how to play it better. A professional lacrosse player is aware of all the types of injuries they may get, how to avoid most of them, and even how to inflict a few of them.
What Are The Most Common Ways To Get Injured While Playing Lacrosse?
As the game has been played a lot, several ways will cause you to get injured, with many people assuming that when someone is injured, the game must stop. Instead, several things are done in lacrosse that can be quite dangerous if you aren’t aware of what is happening.
Lacrosse players who have experience will be well aware of the most common ways to get injured, having experienced most of them. When you have been through enough games, it becomes pretty easy to correctly react to a sudden shock or damage that may happen.
Collisions
This is the most common way to get injured; it can happen when everyone is scrambling for the ball at the start of the game. A collision can also occur just as the whistle for the game-ending is blown and two players lose their focus; you must remember this when playing.
Collisions can be low-impact incidents that lead to nothing more than a head nod from both players, causing both players to require medical attention. The incidents are hard to predict, and control as players collide through usual bids to control the ball.
Stick Injuries
You can stick check or body check someone when playing lacrosse; this means you can stop their movement with your body or the stick. This is why these two types of contact cause so many injuries as you are constantly being hit or checked by the opponents.
Stick checking can cause so many injuries because they are unyielding; if your opponent misjudged wrong, you might find a stick between your legs unexpectedly. Causing you to trip, fall suddenly, or run into a hard stick without warning, causing significant leg injuries.
Falling
With body checking and stick checking comes the problem of having to face constantly falling, as you and your opponents will do so often. One of the first things you will have to learn while playing lacrosse is how to fall correctly, preventing you from being hurt when you do fall.
If you constantly fall and cannot brace for it correctly, you can easily hurt your shoulders, hips, or back causing long-term damage. This is why many coaches will focus early players on how to fall, purposefully having them be tripped or checked while training for the sport.
Shoulder
We highlight this because shoulder checking or tackling is not allowed in lacrosse; however, it can happen due to the proximity and intensity of the sport. Usually, it is by accident, but it can be devastating if it happens completely unexpectedly; even with penalties, you will still be hurt.
Most of the time, accidental shouldering will be in the face, which is why helmets are important, with a few rare cases of shorter players shouldering someone in the stomach. Shouldering can cause imbalance, large bruises, or even dislocated shoulders when done incorrectly.
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How Do You Avoid These Injuries?
This is the most important part of preparing for a lacrosse game, especially if you have never played any other contact sports. Being prepared or just avoiding getting injured makes the sport a lot more fun and exciting as your skills will be constantly tested.
It is vital that you ensure that you are properly trained and prepared with each of these steps; many people think they should start the game and learn as you go. While this may be true for most cases, we recommend that you have some things in check before braving the field.
Training
This is easily the most important part of ensuring that you will not get permanently injured while playing lacrosse, training before playing the game. Most coaches or teachers will have you learn the proper way to handle the tools, catch the ball, and do the checks.
Women leagues of the game do not allow body checking but do allow stick checking; men leagues allow for complete contact with both stick and body checks. Understanding how these two versions of the game are played and having the required skills will allow you to enjoy the game.
Skill
We recommend spending a few days just practicing catching, passing, throwing, and defending with the lacrosse stick, you will use. Many people make the mistake of thinking it will come naturally or that you may learn while playing the game along with your friends.
However, this is not true, and you may cause more injuries than you can control while hurting yourself and your friends by just being there. The sport has a set number of skills required that can only be earned through practice and training outside of the field.
Safety equipment
Wear your helmet, wear your padding, and wear the right shoes; it’s as simple as that; there is no arguing these points. More people have lost their lives or become injured for life because they thought they would be invincible, unlike everyone else before them.
These pieces of safety equipment are not suggestions, and no matter how nerdy you may think they look, they will save your life. It’s two minutes of properly equipping yourself versus losing your life to something you could have easily been protected from.
What Are The Common Injuries After A Lacrosse Game?
The most common injuries that lacrosse players receive are all things that they become so used to them are barely noticed. Bruises, scrapes, sprains, or strains are all things that will happen when you are spending weekends running straight towards other people.
As you become more experienced, you may even enjoy a slight rush at knowing you played well enough that you got a few bruises. These are all superficial injuries that will fade away in a few weeks if you do not continually strain these body parts.
When you are better at the game, you will naturally live with the kinds of injuries you are getting comfortable with. With a few select people even becoming more assertive on those parts of the regularly injured body.
Conclusion
While lacrosse seems like a dangerous game when you are only observing it, it is only a moderately dangerous sport if trained properly. Many other sports are significantly more difficult, and with the right training, almost anything can be done safely.
Whatever you do, please don’t think you will be able to play the game without getting hit by everyone on the opposing side!