Safety

According to a 4-year study (2000- 2003) of injuries in lacrosse reported in the February 2007 issue of The American Journal of Sports Medicine, high school girls experienced a significantly higher rate of HFE (head, face, and eye) injuries than boys, in part because of a lack of protective equipment. Hopefully, the injury rate for girls will drop now that protective eyewear for girls has become mandatory.

The 2005 rule by US Lacrosse that female lacrosse players wear protective goggles came not a moment too soon. A study in the February 2007 issue of The American Journal Sports Medicine of injuries to high school and collegiate lacrosse players in the 4 year period (2000 to 2003) before the new equipment mandate went into effect discloses that high school girls and college women experienced a significantly higher rate of HFE (head, face, and eye) injuries than boys and college men.

One of the biggest hazards in outside field sports, yet often the most overlooked, is the field itself. Because parents can't count on the referee or their child's coach to inspect the field before a game begins to ensure that it is in a playable condition, the best injury prevention strategy is to set up a field detail of parents to do the inspection.