Organized sports teams offer various benefits to 7 million high school athletes every year, including improved physical fitness and self-esteem. But one downside is that sports injuries have become more common among adolescent athletes. Although protective equipment such as kneepads and shin guards may help protect teens from injury, most high school athletes don't bother to wear it, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Over a 3-year period, 13,513 teen athletes from 100 high schools and 12 sports reported whether they used protective equipment to protect the lower part of the body, such as kneepads, shin guards, knee braces, and ankle braces. During the course of the study, researchers looked at school size, the type of sports teens played, the experience and training of the coaching staff, and whether teens had had prior injuries to the lower extremities.
Only one third of the teens reported using such protective equipment, with girls, seniors, and teens who played more than one sport most likely to use it. In addition, teens who'd had lower extremity injuries in the past were more likely to use protective gear. Kneepads were used most often, followed by ankle braces, knee braces, and shin guards.
Also, the type of sport a teen played made a difference in his or her use of protective gear. Those playing boys' baseball, girls' softball, and girls' volleyball had the highest use of protective gear, compared with boys' and girls' track, boys' soccer, and girls' cheerleading, which had the lowest use. Teens who went to small schools, had a low ratio of players to team coaches, and who had teammates using protective gear also were more likely to protect their lower extremities from injuries.
What This Means to You: Sports equipment that protects the lower extremities can reduce the risk of injury, but about two thirds of teens don't bother to use it, according to the results of this study. At the start of the sports season, ask your child's coach about the recommended safety gear your child should be wearing in addition to helmets, shoes, mouth guards, athletic cups and supporters, and padding. If your child has had a lower extremity injury in the past, talk to your child's doctor about whether extra sports protection is needed. Finally, remind your child to wear protective gear for every practice or game.
Source: Jingzhen Yang, PhD, MPH; J. Michael Bowling, PhD; Megan Lewis, PhD; Stephen W. Marshall, PhD; Carol W. Runyan, PhD, MPH; Frederick O. Mueller, PhD; American Journal of Public Health, November 2005.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: December 2005
