subject: Safety Tips You Absolutely Need to Know for the Next Hockey Season [print this page] Safety Tips You Absolutely Need to Know for the Next Hockey Season
Because ice hockey is such a physical sport, the very nature of the game makes it impossible to prevent all possible injuries. Some of the dangers that must be dealt with include sharp blades from skates, flying hockey pucks, and hockey sticks at odd angles. The result of a random puck hit at minimum is a sizable bruise. Keep in mind that this is a best case scenario. Then you must face the fact that there are plenty of incidental injuries like muscle pulls and sprains to consider. It's true, hockey is a dangerous sport. Players must be on their toes and aware of what's going on constantly. When you pay attention to these safety tips, hockey will be safer for everyone on the ice.
Neck protectors are not always used, nor are they required in some leagues. They may not be required but neck protection is a good bet. Hockey is a fast game where a lot can happen in the blink of an eye. Close contact is the name of the game complete with fast flying pucks and the long reach of competing hockey sticks. Neck slashes are quite common amidst all the confusion. Don't forget players who are down on the ice among other skaters moving at fast speeds. Skate blades become risky business at times like this. One piece of protective equipment that is common to other sports is the cup that provides protection for the groin. While that is not obviously peculiar to hockey, nevertheless it is a very important part of hockey safety gear. Use the cup by placing it inside the insert found on the shorts the cup came with. If your cup was purchased alone you'll need to get an athletic supporter for the cup. Groin injuries can be particularly painful and cups should be worn at all times while playing and practicing hockey. No one even wants to endure the pain of a full hit to the groin by a hockey puck in flight. When you stop and think about it, we are confident you do not want to experience that kind of pain. Play it safe!
One piece of hockey safety equipment that should be used more often is the protective visor. Even so, there are plenty of hockey players who do the smart thing and use them. The hard plastic visor is designed to protect your eyes and face from getting hurt. It is very easy to get hit by the puck or a flying hockey stick blade which can obviously cause serious damage and injury. There isn't a piece of safety equipment that is 100% infallible. However, wearing it and wearing it properly can seriously reduce the chances of injury.
Hockey safety tips are extremely important to know so you can prevent the kind of injuries that can cause tremendous damage to the body. There is no substitute for wearing good safety gear, being prepared and using common sense.
