May 2001

Gear Up For Kids Sports Safety

Each year, more than 30 million kids participate in organized sports in the United States [i] and sports are the most frequent cause of injury for both male and female adolescents [ii], more than 3.5 million children suffer sports- and recreational-related injuries

While the number of children who get hurt playing sports is alarming, the good news is advances in plastics technology mean lightweight, sturdy safety gear is available to the 30 million kids who participate in organized sports each year. 

“It is estimated that more than half of all child sport-injuries can be prevented,” says Michelle Klein, executive director of the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, a national non-profit agency committed to reducing the number of children who are injured while participating in sports. “This spring and summer, while we are teaching our kids how to catch a ball or ride a bike, we should also show them how to protect themselves and their dreams. It can literally save lives. ”

Looking more broadly than just sports injuries (car safety seats, seat belts, smoke detectors, personal flotation devices), “the past two decades’ evolution in plastic safety devices has been a crucial part of the 46 percent decline in the unintentional injury-related death rate among children 14 and under – the number one killer of children in this age group,” according to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign.

“To make the point,” says Klein, “try to imagine a piece of sports safety gear that helps protect kids’ lives, and is not made with some plastic. But, whether it’s eye gear, mouth guards, plastic helmets or even padding…wearing gear consistently is key.”

“Most sports-related injuries occur during practice, while a third of parents say they do not often take the same safety precautions during their child’s practice as in a game.  A simple rule is if it’s required for the game, it should also be required for practice.”

“As for bicycles, scooters and roller blades – remember these are not toys,” said Klein.  “More children are hurt on bicycles every year than in sports like football and wrestling.  Teach your children wearing proper safety equipment is part of the package and check to make sure your child is wearing the equipment.”

Klein offers these tips for getting your child to gear up this summer:

• Encourage your kids to wear the same gear every time.  Whether it’s practice or the game, consistency is the key to developing lifelong sports safety habits.
• Be sure everyone in the family – especially older children – wears sports safety gear.  Kids take their cues from the people around them.
• Get together with other parents in the neighborhood to encourage sports safety and maximize positive peer pressure.
• Talk to your child’s teachers or coaches – as role models they can have a big influence on attitude.
• Be sure the gear fits right – if it’s too big or too small it may be uncomfortable for your child and it is not as effective.
• Let your child pick their own safety gear.  Items like helmets come in a variety of colors, patterns and even styles, allowing kids to express their individual sense of style.

How do parents know if the gear fits right? How do parents know what gear is right for the sports their child is participating in? Below, you will find links to additional information that will help answer these questions and enable you to select the right sports safety gear – helmets, mouth guards, protective eyewear and protective padding like elbow and knee pads – to keep your children safe from preventable sports injuries.

Helmets.  Plastic helmets come in a variety of shapes and styles depending on the sports they were designed for.  Sport-specific helmets are designed to take into account different risk factors unique to each sport such as playing surfaces and the force and direction of potential impact.  Parents should select a helmet (PDF document) based on what sport their child will be playing.

Mouthguards.  Plastic mouth guards help prevent injury to the mouth, teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue.  Even with a mouth guard it is still possible for a child’s tooth to be knocked out; however wearing one greatly reduces the risk. Research has also suggested that mouth guards are effective in reducing the concussion risk due to elevated jaw injury after blows to the chin.  Because plastic materials are easily molded yet retain strength, most mouth guards are made of rubber or a flexible polyvinyl plastic.

Protective Eyewear.  Selecting the proper protection depends on the level of risk characteristic of the sport a child will be playing. Most protective eyewear is made from polycarbonate, which are lightweight, yet can withstand a blunt force without shattering.  Three of the four main types of protective eye/face gear are made of this plastic.  Parents should contact their eye care professional to assist in selecting the right protective eye gear for their child and the Prevent Blindness America foundation offers a selection tipsheet on their Web site.

Knee, Elbow, Wrist and Shin Pads. Wrist guards, knee and elbow pads are prudent for in-line skating and skateboarding. Tough plastics in protective athletic gear help prevent injuries. Plastics like polyurethane are light, yet able to withstand some of the pressures of falling and crashing. Safety equipment like kneepads, helmets, and wrist guards can help reduce injury by as much as 85 percent. 

So, when your child is ready to get into the game, using plastic sports safety gear will make sure that he or she is protected and ready to take on anything. 

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[i]“Get Into The Game: A National Survey of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Self-Reported Behaviors Concerning Sports Safety.”  Conducted on behalf of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and its Research and Education Foundation by Peter D. Hart Research Associates (2000).
[ii] National Youth Sports Safety Foundation Youth Sports Injuries Fact Sheet.

Additional Information

Gear Up For Safety

Help keep your kids safe! (This file is a PDF file and requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Athletic Excellence: Made Possible by Plastics

Plastics In Your Life: Sports Performance & Safety

Go to the archive for previous issues of the Power of Plastic

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