How can sports injuries be prevented in rugby? essay sample

Being one of the most popular sports in the US, rugby unites more than 80,000 players registered within USA Rugby. A quarter of them are children and juniors. Just like other contact sports, rugby is considered to be a traumatic sport, in the first place, because of collisions between players. Besides, fast running is the cause behind sprains of ankles and inflammations of joints in players. The first measure taken to prevent these injuries is wearing protective pads and shields. Just like in football, wearing a helmet with a gum shield is a must to a player. Shin pads protect from fractures and sprains; players usually combine them with knee, ankle, wrist, and thigh supports. Protective wear is a must for the whole range of sports, but often there are more ways to play safe.

Rugby coaches know that injuries happen more frequently to players with lower speed and maximum aerobic power. It is also easier to get hurt when players are exhausted. To assure safe training, coaches incorporate speed and endurance training into workouts. They also pay attention to players who got injured before. Full recovery is a must before returning to the practice field because further collisions exacerbate pre-existing traumas. Areas damaged for the second or third time require more time to heal before entering the field.

The tackle is considered to be the most dangerous part in rugby as more than half of all injuries in this sport happen because of this tactics. Practically, it is impossible to refuse from tackling to eliminate injuries, but coaches can choose a safer technique to avoid dangerous tackles. Players must avoid hitting the ball carrier at the level of shoulders and above to minimize the damage.