MouthguardsCan protect your mouth, teeth, and tongue:
- You should wear a mouthguard if you play a contact sport or other sport where head injury is a risk, such as football, basketball, hockey, volleyball, martial arts, boxing, or wrestling.
- Mouthguards can be fitted for your mouth by a dentist or purchased at sports stores.
- If you wear a retainer, always take it out before you start to exercise, practice, or play.
Wrist, knee, and elbow guards are important gear, too:
- If you inline skate, skateboard, or ride a scooter, you should wear guards.
- Elbow and wrist guards can prevent arm and wrist fractures, and knee guards can shield your knees from cuts and breaks.
If you play certain sports, especially contact sports, are essential:
- All kinds of sports, from hockey to inline skating, use pads. There are shin, knee, elbow, wrist, chest, shoulder, hip, and thigh pads.
- Check with your coach or doctor to find out what kinds of pads you might need for your sport.
Some guys may also need to wear a protective cup (to protect the testicles):
- Guys who play hockey, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and other contact sports should use a cup.
- For noncontact sports that involve running, guys should wear an athletic supporter.
- If you're unsure, ask your coach, athletic trainer, or parent if you need a cup for your sport.
And last but not least, the right footwear can keep you from tripping and falling:
- You know that sports like football, baseball, softball, and soccer require cleats. But you may not realize that sports like skateboarding and biking need special types of shoes, too. Ask your coach or doctor what shoes are best for your sport.
- Replace shoes and cleats that have worn out or are no longer supportive.
Not only is the right kind of equipment important, so is the right fit. If you don't know if your equipment fits properly, check with a coach, gym teacher, athletic trainer, or parent to make sure you have the right size and that you're wearing it correctly. Many sporting goods stores can also help you find the right fit.
The bottom line: Wearing the right equipment with the right fit dramatically decreases your chances of getting hurt.
Source: kidshealth.org
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