Protect Your Kids with Proper Equipment while Engaging in Contact Sports
Fall in Ontario is the time of year when our kids put away their swim trunks and begin to participate in contact sports like football and hockey. While there’s an element of risk in any contact sport, no sound is more deafening than a crowd’s sudden silence when a young player loses consciousness after hitting his or her head on the ice, field or another player.
According to reports submitted to the Ministry of Health, approximately 10% of major trauma cases in Ontario are a result of sports- and recreation-related activities. One out of every 230 Canadian children is hospitalized each year with a serious trauma, with 20% of these having serious head injuries.
The potential long-term effects of sports-related concussions are serious enough to lead the NFL, NHL and NHLPA to conduct studies to look into this issue. In addition, rules and regulations have been implemented by the NFL and NHL to help protect players from head trauma, for example, hits to the head can lead to penalties, fines and suspensions.
Personal Injury Lawyers in Ontario Recommend Wearing a Helmet to Help Prevent Sports-related Injuries
Just as it is critical that kids wear bicycle helmets to protect from head injury while cycling, it is imperative that football and hockey players wear appropriate helmets to reduce incidences of head injury, brain injury or sports-related concussions.
Choosing a proper helmet is important, and Ontario educators have created a Helmet Requirements Summary Chart, which offers equipment guidelines based on activity and education level. For example:
- Football helmets must have a label from the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE)
- Hockey helmets and full face protectors must bear a seal from the Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
According to the NOCSAE and CSA, helmets should be snug, with a gently fitting chin strap that is always fastened while playing. Helmets should be inspected for safety daily, with cracked helmets replaced immediately, regardless of the size of the crack.
Ontario Injury Lawyers Recommend Helmets to Prevent Head Injury or Brain Injury
Sometimes, even when you take all precautions, accidents still happen. If your child is injured playing football or hockey, you may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. Our Ontario injury lawyers can answer questions and offer a free no obligation consultation to accident victims.
