What protective equipment is used in lacrosse?
Lacrosse is a high contact sport that can result in serious injuries. For this reason, players are required to wear protective gear.
The most basic level of protection is a helmet or eye gear, shoulder pads, and mouthpiece.
However, women’s lacrosse has additional restrictions on contact, and thus they do not need some of the protective gear that men wear. But still require some comprehensive equipment, including padded gloves, chest protectors, and pelvic protectors.
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Why do you need protective equipment in lacrosse?
Protective gear is an essential part of lacrosse to ensure player safety. In fact, for goalies, protective gear is required and usually consists of gloves, a chest protector, and a throat guard.
The gloves are made with high-quality materials to prevent broken fingers or knuckle bruises. Additionally, the chest protector protects the goalie from high-powered shots while the throat guard helps to avoid lacerations.
Protective equipment for men’s lacrosse is significantly more extensive with complete contact, which can cause more severe injuries. Mouthguards and rib pads are the most common pieces of protective equipment in lacrosse.
Women while playing lacrosse are not required to wear helmets, but they do need to wear eye protection and mouth guards.
Goalies in lacrosse wear various protective equipment to ensure their safety while playing. Throat protectors protect the goalie’s throat from being hit by the ball, and chest protectors provide padding to the chest cavity and absorb ball strikes. Additionally, chest protectors typically feature “stretch zones,” which allow goalies to move quickly.
Goalies in lacrosse wear a variety of protective equipment to ensure their safety while playing. Throat protectors protect the goalie’s throat from being hit by the ball, and chest protectors provide padding to the chest cavity and absorb ball strikes. Additionally, chest protectors typically feature “stretch zones” which allow goalies to move easily.
Lacrosse Helmet
Lacrosse helmets are designed to provide lightweight protection for the head and face. They have a broad frame of view, which is essential for players who need to see the field well.
The helmets come in four separate buckles and straps, making them adjustable to fit most head sizes.
Chin straps secure the helmet securely on top of the wearer’s head and help keep it in place during play.
There are two types of helmets for lacrosse-field and goalie.
The difference is that the throat protector is attached to the field helmet, while it is a separate piece for the goalie helmet.
In addition, the chin strap on a lacrosse helmet should be compatible with your current helmet.
This means that if you are currently using a traditional throat protector, you would need to find a chin strap compatible with it.
Women’s lacrosse is not a full-contact sport, so they do not require hard helmets.
Lacrosse Throat Protector
Lacrosse throat protectors are not a new product. However, they are used by lacrosse goalies to keep shots from hitting their trachea.
These throat protectors hang off the lacrosse helmet and resemble a crescent shape made of hard plastic with a grip on the bottom for easy handling.
The national authority mandates protective equipment for lacrosse. To participate in a game, all players must wear a helmet with a face mask, and goalkeepers must additionally wear a throat protector.
Lacrosse Shoulder Pads
Lacrosse shoulder pads are made of padded material with minimal hard plastics. They are designed to protect your shoulders, collarbone, and sternum. Men in the sport of lacrosse only wear lacrosse shoulder pads.
When it comes to lacrosse shoulder pads, there are three different styles: traditional, hybrid, and shoulder liner. Each type has its benefits and can be better suited for specific positions in the field.
For example, traditional shoulder pads offer the most protection and come with a hard-shell casing and removable bicep pads.
Today, lacrosse shoulder pads are becoming more tailored with less bulk, as players want to be more mobile.
There is a variety of protection available, including hybrids that allow for more mobility and hard-shell safety in add-on bicep pads.
Hybrid shoulder pads are popular among midfielders, defensemen, and agile players who need the extra range of motion.
Lacrosse Chest Protector
Lacrosse is a sport that is growing in popularity. It is a physical and fast-paced game that can be dangerous if the proper safety equipment is not worn—one of the essential safety equipment for lacrosse players is the chest protector.
Chest protectors help to protect players from high-speed shots, which can often reach speeds of 110 miles per hour or more. Goalies in both men’s and women’s lacrosse wear chest protectors as protection against these powerful shots.
A lacrosse chest protector is an essential piece of equipment for all lacrosse players. The material used in the chest protector is similar to that of shoulder pads found in lacrosse equipment but has thicker shielding over a greater area. This helps to protect the player from collisions and potential injuries.
Lacrosse Gloves
Lacrosse gloves come in various shapes and sizes, but they all share one common goal: to protect the player’s hands.
Lacrosse is a physical sport, and players need their gloves to be flexible enough to catch and throw the ball and strong enough to protect their hands from stick checks and other impacts. Most gloves range in size from 6 inches to 14 inches.
Additionally, goalie gloves are designed with extra thumb protection, as goalies are more likely to make contact with that finger.
The foam padding inside lacrosse gloves prevents stick checks from causing injury by absorbing some of the impacts.
Lacrosse Elbow Pads
Lacrosse elbow pads are made to protect the player’s elbow from strikes. They are typically constructed of rugged plastic cups and some cushioning material.
The padding is usually more substantial on the elbow cup than on hockey elbow pads, which only cover the area from mid-wrist to mid-bicep.
Lacrosse Elbow pads offer more protection for the player but can be a bit more cumbersome and restrictive.
Protective equipment for lacrosse is designed to protect the player from injury. Lacrosse elbow pads, for example, are typically made of hard plastic and offer adjustable straps for a great fit. On the other hand, Hockey elbow pads are designed to protect just the elbow cup and don’t have any adjustment options.
Goggles
Lacrosse goggles are a type of protective eyewear that women primarily wear in lacrosse. The caging around the eye provides incredible vision and protection from injuries.
Goggles can also come with different color choices and designs, which can be for aesthetic purposes or to help players stand out on the field.
The term “goggles” is often used to talk about protective eyewear such as a face mask or hockey helmet.
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Chin Pads
Chin pads are made of a various materials, but the most common are cotton, foam, and neoprene. They help players achieve a more comfortable experience on the chin strap when wearing lacrosse chin straps.
Chin pads protect the chin during a lacrosse game by absorbing any impact that may occur.
Arm Guards
Arm guards are an essential piece of lacrosse equipment. They should be comfortable and cover most of your arms and your entire elbow.
Offensive players tend to have more giant arm guards for protection from defenseman’s checks. Armguards prevent injury from contact with defenders, who will typically wear elbow pads to make contact with attackers.
Mouth Guards
Mouthguards are an essential piece of protective equipment for lacrosse players. They help prevent concussions and other injuries to the head and mouth. Mouthguards come in various shapes and sizes, so it is essential to find one that fits well and is comfortable to wear.
Conclusion
While boys must wear a stick and headgear/close-fitting gloves, girls and women are only mandated to wear a mouthguard and protective eyewear. There is a significant difference in the level of protection between the two types of lacrosse. This is likely because boys are more likely to engage in contact play, leading to more severe injuries.
Protective equipment is essential for lacrosse players. A good fit is key, and players should make sure they use all of the protective gear available. This will help keep them safe on the field.