Playing Field Safety

Skin infections associated with contact with synthetic turf have received national attention in recent years, but there is no scientific evidence to support concern that the surfaces of infilled synthetic turf (the kind containing crumb rubber found in all fields built since the late 1990's) harbor the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium, the bacteria that cause MRSA, says a recent study.

The winter sports season is in full swing, and spring sports are a ways off, but safety comes first, no matter what the sport or the season. Here's a sixteen-point safety checklist to keep athletes in the game.

One of the biggest hazards in baseball, yet often the most overlooked, is the diamond itself.  Sprinkler heads and gopher holes in the outfield can can cause players to slip, leading to sprained ankles, twisted knees or torn knee ligaments, while balls hitting pebbles on the infield can bounce up and hit a player in the throat, face, eyes, or forehead.

Asthma and exercise-induced asthma (EIA) among athletes are common, but athletic performance need not be hindered if your child takes an active role in controlling the condition and follows good practice and control measures.  Indeed, if your child has asthma, he or she should be encouraged  to exercise as a way to strengthen muscles, improve respiratory health, enhance endurance, and otherwise improve overall well-being. 

 

 

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Artificial turf fields are growing in popularity. At the same time, a debate is heating up about possible health risks, with more state and local governments getting involved.

As more and more communities build artificial turf fields, the debate about possible health risks and the advantages and disadvantages continues.

Because the potential risks associated with exposure to dust from worn artificial turf (which may contain lead) are not yet known, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that parents of youth athletes, particularly those under age 6, take certain precautions to minimize any potential risk.

Recommendations issued the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and its sister agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on testing artificial turf products and reducing potential exposures to lead pending  further guidance from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) the receipt of more information about the absorption of lead from artificial turf products and its capability of harm.