Lacrosse is one of the oldest team sports in North America, with origins tracing back to the 12th century. It was created by Native American and First Nations tribes and served many purposes: a recreational game, a form of athletic conditioning, a way to settle disagreements and an event at religious festivals. Centuries later, European settlers arrived on the continent and observed the Wyandot people playing the game. Intrigued, they dubbed it “lacrosse” (French for “the stick”), began playing it themselves and modified the rules over time into the game we know today. 

Currently, lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, at both the high school and college level, and it’s not hard to see why. Benefits of playing lacrosse include:

• Enhanced cardiovascular health
• Improved hand-eye coordination
• Strong social connections with teammates
• Cultivation of discipline, dedication and resilience
• Accessibility to people with various body types

If your child is a lacrosse player, you know how exciting, fast paced and intense the game can be. You also know that playing lacrosse can potentially lead to injuries. Are there ways that your child can prevent this?

What Are the Most Common Injuries in Lacrosse?

Due to the nature of the game, most lacrosse injuries are either to the head or to the lower half of the body. Common lacrosse injuries include:

• Knee injuries, especially ACL tears and meniscus tears
• Ankle sprains
• Strained muscles, especially the hamstrings (back of thigh), quadriceps (front of thigh) and groin (where the leg meets the torso)
• Shin splints
• Lower back pain
• Wrist and hand fractures
• Concussions
• Facial and dental injuries

How Can My Child Avoid a Lacrosse Injury?

There’s no guaranteed way to ensure that your child does not get injured while playing lacrosse. But if your child follows these guidelines, the likelihood of an injury will decrease:

• Cross-train year round to stay in good physical shape during the off-season. This can include:
  • Strength training
  • Conditioning (jogging/biking)
  • Playing another sport
  • Mobility exercises
• Warm up thoroughly before each game/practice with some light jogging and agility drills, such as:
  • High knees (while running either forward or backward) 
  • Butt kicks
  • Side-to-side jumps / hops / shuffle
  • Tuck jumps
  • Forward jumps
  • Sprints
  • Shuttle runs
• Drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen, especially during summer games/practices
• Wear protective gear, such as:
  • Mouth guard (mandatory for all players)
  • Helmet with face mask (mandatory for all male players and female goalies; optional for female field players but strongly encouraged)
  • Protective eyewear (mandatory for female field players if they choose not to wear a helmet with a face mask)
  • Close-fitting gloves (mandatory for male field players; optional for female field players but strongly encouraged)
  • Padded gloves (mandatory for male and female goalies)
  • Chest protector (mandatory for male and female goalies)
  • Separate throat protector (mandatory for male and female goalies)
  • Shoulder and arm pads (mandatory for all male players)
  • Protective cup (mandatory for all male players)
  • Rib pads (optional for male field players)
• Make sure your protective gear fits snugly. Loose gear will jostle around and slip from the part of your body that it’s meant to protect.
• Wear shoes that are appropriate for the surface you’re playing on (grass or AstroTurf). This can help prevent shin splints.
  • Shin splints may not seem like a big deal, but they can develop into stress fractures if left untreated. 
• Stretch after each game and practice, with particular focus on the lower extremities (hamstrings, quadriceps and groin).
• Take a rest day once or twice a week with no lacrosse playing. This reduces the chance of an overuse injury like a sprained or strained muscle.
• Tell your parents and coach if you are in pain. Playing through an injury can often make it worse. 

What Should I Do If My Child Gets Injured Playing Lacrosse?

If your child gets injured playing lacrosse:

• Call 911 if the injury needs immediate medical attention (like a concussion or a broken bone)
• In all other cases, if your child is 13 years old or older, contact Sports Medicine at Mercy to set up an appointment