Marcus Richards
Although field hockey is not a contact sport, players can still be prone to injuries. And the first and most crucial step to avoid any type of injuries as much as possible is to wear the proper protective equipment. If you are planning to start playing field hockey, keep reading to know more about protective gears.
The Importance of Protective Gear in Field Hockey
According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, field hockey’s injury rate is 6.3 in 1000 athlete exposures. Their study found out that in 1.7 million from 2004 to 2009, there were 10,000 injuries. These numbers are considerably high, so wearing appropriate protective equipment during training and tournaments is more important than ever.
The most common types of injuries are muscle strains, contusions, sprains, fractures, and concussions. To prevent all of these, each player has to make sure that they are equipped with full protective gear, which includes: Shin pads, Mouthguards, Gloves, and Masks. On the other hand, goalies are prone to physical contact, which demands them to wear additional support like Helmets. Goalie girdles. Pelvic protectors, Leg guards, Armguards, Elbow protectors, and Chest pads.
The Features of a Good Protective Gear
When you look into the market of field hockey equipment, you can find several variations of each protective gear. Now, how would you know which one of them is the most suitable and would give you the most support? Here are a few things you can consider:
Cost-effective
Although shopping for field hockey equipment can be very costly, this should not discourage you from finding a goo shin pad or gloves. There are brands that provide excellent quality items that are valued for money. Yes, you might need to spend extra but think about it as an investment that could save your life and last you a lifetime.
Quality material
For shin pads, for example, the most common types of materials used vary between polyurethane, glass fibre, carbon, fibre, rubber foam, etc. Choosing which one you should purchase now relies on personal preference. You just have to make sure that it would not irritate your skin. If you are looking for excellent shin pads, click here: https://www.total-hockey.com/collections/hockey-shin-pads.
Accurate size
You need protective equipment that fits you perfectly. Make sure that it allows you to move freely and gives you enough comfort. The last thing you need is a loose glove or shin pad that may distract you during the game.
Durable
Especially if you are a professional player who constantly uses the gears, you will need protective equipment that is heavy-duty and would last you long. Sometimes, purchasing more durable gears is the secret to saving money from continuous repurchasing of items.
Bottom line
As we mentioned earlier, purchasing protective equipment for field hockey should be considered an investment. Especially if you are serious about playing this sport for a long time, you need gears that are durable and fully protect you during the game, so you should now hesitate to spend a bit more.
