If you play contact sports such as soccer, football, hockey or baseball, injuries to the head and face are common. Here are a few tips to follow to ensure you have a fun, safe, and active sports season.

 

Wear Protective Gear

You may not always be able to prevent an injury, however, making sure you are protecting yourself will surely lessen the likelihood of accidents.

Wear protective gear such as helmets, mouthguards, or anything else that is necessary for protecting against injury.

 

Follow the Rules

One of the biggest ways to avoid collisions is to communicate. Most games have some kind of rule of thumb to shout, “I got it” or “mine”. That is a good indicator to not go for the ball, therefore avoiding a collision. 

Some sports have rules set in play not just for scoring points, but for being courteous and keeping people safe. For example in baseball or softball, the batter can not throw the bat after hitting the ball. They must set it down and then proceed to run to first base. 

 

Do Not Play If You are Hurt

It may be hard to sit back and watch from the sidelines after an injury, but playing while you are hurt or not stopping when you get injured can result in more damage and longer healing time.

Do not feel embarrassed or try to be “tough” when you are feeling hurt. Always be honest with coaches and parents regarding any sort of trauma you have experienced.

 

See A Doctor

Although you may think your injury may not need medical attention, it is best to be on the safe side and have a doctor check it out. Letting injuries go, like concussions, can lead to risky side effects that include grogginess, headaches, dizziness, nausea, delayed response and much more.

Certain headaches and pain can be caused by mouth injuries. For tooth or mouth accidents it is very important to see your dentist or a specialist right away. Here at the Oral and Facial Surgery Institute, we can treat a variety of sports-related facial injuries. Call us today at 435-628-1100.