SPORTS TRAINERS GUIDE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT For athletes in competition who wear many injuries, such as concussion and spectacles and participate in lower risk brain injury. Also, helmets may cause sports, normal streetwear spectacle some athletes to become over confident frames with polycarbonate lenses give and to take more risks in the mistaken adequate and cosmetically acceptable belief that the helmet will protect them protection for routine use. Clear completely from injury. polycarbonate frames and lenses are suggested for contact lens wearers and GLOVES athletes who ordinarily do not wear glasses but participate in moderate to Protective gloves help prevent soft and high-risk non-contact sports. They can hard tissue injuries of the fingers, hands be used in combination with a facemask and wrists. Padded gloves are used or a helmet with face protection for especially in sports with a hard, fast additional protection in high-risk contact moving ball, such as baseball and cricket, often not firmly secured and can offer or collision sports. or where there is a risk of falling to reduce a false sense of protection. abrasions, such as motorcycling. Gloves 2. ‘Boil and bite’ mouthguards – these are If an athlete already has an eyepoble can also protect the hands from blisters made from a thermoplastic material or suffers from reduced vision, there is and calluses, as well as cold weather- that is softened in hot water and then an increased risk of eye injury. Sports related circulatory problems. In sports placed in the mouth to mold to the trainers and athletes should consult an such as golf, hockey and cricket, gloves teeth as the guard is bitten. Like stock optometrist for advice on vision are often used to improve grip and guards, they are cheap and their shape requirements and protective eyewear to reduce impact shock. is easily deformed. They offer limited specific to their sport. Some types of protection, they can be uncomfortable protective faceguards and eye protection MOUTHGUARDS and they impair breathing and speech. can be worn over prescription eyewear. 3. Custom-fitted mouthguards – these In any sport where there is a risk of are made by a dental professional from HELMETS/HEADGEAR a blow to the face or head from sporting shock-absorbing plastic cast from an equipment or from another player, impression of the teeth and gums of Helmets can reduce the risk of head athletes should wear a properly fitted the individual athlete. The accurate fit injury in sports where the following mouthguard. Mouthguards act as a shock and control of the thickness maximises are likely: absorber for the teeth and jaw and, the shock-absorbing effect of the when properly fitted, reduce the risk mouthguard. They fit comfortably and • High speed collisions of dental injuries. do not interfere with breathing or (e.g. motor sports or cycling) speech. The National Health and • Potential for missile injuries Mouthguards should: Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (e.g. baseball or cricket) • Fit the mouth accurately recommends custom-made • Falls onto hard surfaces • Allow normal breathing and speech mouthguards for contact sports (e.g. ice hockey or skating). • Be custom designed and fitted by and the purchase and fitting of a qualified professional. a new mouthguard at the beginning Other protective headwear, such as of each new competition season. headgear, may provide additional The most common types of protection for the face and ears of mouthguards are: FOOTWEAR athletes participating in sports such 1. Stock mouthguards – these are made as the rugby codes. of rigid plastic and are available at As well as having an effect on sporting pharmacies and sports stores. They can performance, appropriate footwear is It is important to note that helmets may be uncomfortable and interfere with an important part of an athlete’s not protect the athlete totally against normal breathing and speech. They are protective equipment. Incorrect shoe 46 VOLUME 36 • JUNE ISSUE 2018