Sports Injury Prevention Lacrosse

• Ankle injuries: Ankle sprains account for 21 percent of all reported lacrosse injuries for girls and 16 percent for boys. Players with a history of ankle sprains are at a high risk of another sprain. If you’re recovering from an ankle injury, make sure you regain full ankle strength and have clearance from your doctor before resuming play.
• Knee injuries: Knees are particularly vulnerable in lacrosse. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and meniscus tears are common, as are ligament and cartilage damage.
• Head injuries: A blow to the head by a stick or the jolt from a fall can cause a concussion. Symptoms of a concussion include headache, nausea, and dizziness. A player with a concussion should stop participating in any lacrosse activities until they no longer have any symptoms and their doctor has cleared them to return to play.
• Cuts and bruises: In lacrosse, the lower extremities are usually uncovered. Players often sustain cuts and bruises to their legs, mostly from being slashed by the sticks of opposing players. These problems can be addressed by wearing shin pads. Be sure to promptly clean and bandage any cuts or wounds.
• Facial and dental injuries: The impact of being hit with a stick or the ball can cause face, jaw, and mouth injuries.
• Shoulder injuries: Colliding with another player may result in a dislocated shoulder or a clavicle fracture.
• Overuse injuries: Continuous running, particularly on hard, artificial field surfaces, can cause shin splints and muscle strains of the hamstrings, quadriceps, and groin.
• Fractures: Although rare, fractures can happen, often as the result of rough play. These include broken wrists, broken ankles, and hand fractures.

Conditioning prepares players for the rigors of lacrosse

• Lacrosse is a physically demanding game. Players need aerobic fitness to be able to run throughout a game, lower-body strength to protect their knees and ankles, and upper-body strength to pass and shoot effectively.
• Cross-training and playing other sports in the offseason helps players stay in shape year-round.
• Before games and practices, players should warm up properly. Start with several minutes of stretching, focused on the hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip muscles. Light jogging and agility exercises, such as lunges and high steps, can also get muscles loose and ready for the game.
• When a player is hurt, they should tell a coach and come out of the game or practice. Playing through pain can make a minor injury more severe.
• It’s important to stay hydrated during games and practices. Coaches, staff, and parents should make sure there’s plenty of water on hand.
• Lacrosse players should have at least one or two days a week of rest and three or four months a year away from the game. This can prevent burnout and the risk of overuse injuries like sprains, strains, and fatigue.

Safety equipment protects players

Wearing the right protective equipment helps keep players safe from injury. Make sure all equipment fits snugly and meets league standards for quality. Players should wear shoes specifically designed for lacrosse and match the shoes to the surface they’re playing on, whether it’s real grass or artificial turf.

• Boys’ lacrosse: Male players must wear helmets, face guards, gloves, shoulder pads, and protective cups.
• Girls’ lacrosse: Only goggles and mouth guards are required in girls’ lacrosse, however, many players choose to wear additional protective guards. Some sports organizations are calling for helmets to be required in girls’ lacrosse to reduce the risk of concussions.
• Goalkeepers: All goalkeepers (boys and girls) are required to wear throat and chest protectors, helmets with face masks, mouth guards, and gloves.

As the largest and most experienced pediatric and young adult sports medicine practice in the country, the Sports Medicine Division at Boston Children's Hospital combines personalized care with innovative treatment for each athlete we treat.

Our Sports Medicine team consists of sports medicine physicians, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, podiatrists, athletic trainers, sports psychologists, dietitians, and many others who collaborate on every aspect of our patients’ care and their recovery.

The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, part of the Sports Medicine Division, is dedicated to the prevention of sports injuries. Through research and clinical training, we offer practical strategies that help young athletes reduce their risk of injury while enhancing their sports performance. Our rehabilitation and strength training programs help injured athletes return to their sport stronger and healthier.

Whether injury prevention or recovery is your goal, we have the skills and dedication to help your child remain active in the sports they love.