by Luminis Health
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We are currently experiencing a nationwide phone carrier issue affecting inbound calls to several of our ambulatory practices. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve this.
Injury Prevention Tips for Lacrosse Parents
A small, hard rubber ball…long sticks…and the speed of soccer with the contact of hockey. Can you think of a more injury-inviting sport than lacrosse?
Lacrosse continues to gain in popularity, making it one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States. U.S. Lacrosse, the governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse, estimates nearly 772,000 athletes play the game nationwide.
The more people who play, the more likely injuries will occur. These injuries are not all sustained during games. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), athletes are three to five times more likely to be injured in a game than in a practice. However, athletes are twice as likely to sustain injury in preseason practice versus regular season play.
Ankle sprains, knee ligament or cartilage injuries, and concussions are the three most common lacrosse injuries. All of these injuries can sideline players and can even end a player’s season.
While rules have been created to help protect athletes near the crease (area surrounding the goal on a lacrosse field), this is the typical “hot-spot” for injuries on the field. Preseason “no pad” practices also help decrease injuries. These practices condition players before contact occurs on the field to decrease the high preseason injury rate. Many programs can help decrease knee injury rates, especially in female athletes who are most prone to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.
We’re often taught to “play hard,” but the most important lesson is to play smart.
By Benjamin Petre, MD, orthopedic surgeon with AAMC Orthopedics.