The use of protective equipment is an important element in many sports, including lacrosse, to ensure the safest possible environment for players and to reduce the risk of injury.  

Some protective lacrosse equipment – helmets and chest protection for men’s and women’s goalies, helmets and chest protection for men’s field players, and eyewear and optional headgear for women - have a required performance standard that must be met in order to be certified for play. Other equipment, such as mouthguards and gloves, have no standard.  

There is no question that planning a sporting event at a new location can be a daunting task. 

Unfortunately, planning for medical coverage often occurs last minute, when arguably it is the most important task that should be addressed. Early planning, securing appropriate local medical providers, and obtaining suitable emergency equipment can help to mitigate stress throughout the planning process.

A closer examination of injuries over the next two high school girls’ lacrosse seasons in Florida is now underway in order to gain greater insight into the effectiveness of women’s headgear in minimizing the risk of injury. 

Findings from a new research study measuring the effects of headgear in high school girls lacrosse indicate that headgear is associated with a reduction in the magnitude of overall impacts but not a change in the rate of impacts, how they occur, or how penalties were administered for impacts sustained during competition.

The findings were recently published in an article in The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 

The following article is part of a content partnership with TrueSport, a positive youth sports movement powered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). TrueSport has partnered with more than 20 sport NGBs to promote a positive culture of youth sport with expert content and programming.

This article appears in the April edition of US Lacrosse Magazine, available exclusively to US Lacrosse members. 

A sigh of relief broke out from the group of emergency professionals attending to Peter Laake when the Loyola Blakefield freshman defender opened his eyes. 

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) announced today that it is revising its previous guidance that classified sports by ‘potential infection risk” for COVID-19. After further examination of the issue by its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC), the NFHS has eliminated its tiered “Potential Infection Risk by Sport” that classified sports as HIGH, MODERATE, or LOW risk for COVID transmission. 

Following the springtime shutdown of virtually all levels of lacrosse, US Lacrosse has been focused on taking the necessary steps required to bring the sport back safely.

Earlier this year, US Lacrosse issued a set of Return to Play recommendations to assist lacrosse organizations throughout the country with sport-specific guidance to mitigate infection risks as competition returned.

As the nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, youth and high school sports have served a role in helping to improve the mental and physical health of young athletes.