Spring is here, that means kids of all ages are engaging in baseball and softball.

Typically viewed as low risk sports, baseball and softball are often overlooked when it comes to safety issues. However, the potential for injury in these two sports is very real. It is important for coaches and parents to be aware of this fact so that they might take preventative action.

In the quest to prevent injury, we make the following recommendations:

• A pre-participation physical should be attained before joining any athletic team. The physical will alert you to any potential medical problems that might exist.

• First aid should be available at all practices and competitions. Coaches should be CPR certified and a written emergency plan should be in place.
• The playing field should be inspected before each game. Some things to look for are holes in the ground, protruding pipes or sprinkler heads, and outfield fences with jagged wires.
• Proper equipment use is important. Batting helmets and catchers gear should fit properly and be worn at all necessary times. Also, breakaway bases should be used in order to prevent sliding injury.
• Children under the age of 10 years should not engage in head first sliding.

• Children between the ages of 5 and 14 should be encouraged to use the lowest- impact balls approved by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, and consideration should be given to using low-impact balls for all children aged 5-14 years.
• Warm up and stretching are imperative. In baseball and softball it is important to stretch the muscles of the lower AND upper extremities.

The use of protective equipment has been inconsistent, and more often absent, in scholastic women's lacrosse, leading to increasing concern for head and eye injuries. There has been growing controversy over the past few years regarding this issue. Some officials and coaches worry that mandatory eye protection could somehow change the style of play within the game. Others are afraid that mandatory eye protection could potentially create a false sense of security, and the athletes would be more apt to risk checking around the head.

The University of Virginia Health System studied 10 years worth of data on lacrosse injuries in men and women, as well as among age groups. This study was done to see if the injury rate among the general population of lacrosse players reflects data collected by the NCAA, which shows high rates of injury to the head and face among collegiate women lacrosse players. This study was based on 1,727 cases of lacrosse related traumatic injuries. Subjects ranged from 4 to 59 years of age, with most between the ages of 12 and 17.

The results of this study showed that injuries to the head and face were significantly more prevalent among females (30.1% of all injuries) than males (18% of all injuries), and often resulted from contact with the ball. Children ages 4 to 11 years old experienced the highest percent of injuries to the head and face of all lacrosse players.

Dr. Paul Diamond, principal investigator for the study and associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at UVA says, Although the non-contact nature of the women's game may mean fewer injuries resulting from contact with other players, the risk of serious injury from ball and stick contact is still high for women. Use of protective head and face gear should be encouraged for them and for children.

Two national governing bodies, the NCAA and U.S. Lacrosse are now cooperatively studying the issue within two special panels, the Women's Lacrosse Protective Eyewear Project Team and the Sports Science and Safety Committee, respectively. Both panels are currently collecting data on the number of eye injuries sustained within the sport and the possible effectiveness of eyewear in preventing eye injuries.

The NCAA has no official standpoint on the issue at this time.

Their general recommendations regarding eyewear for all sports include:

• Protective eyewear should be worn for all sports that have a projectile object whose size and/or speed could potentially cause ocular damage, especially important for functionally one-eyed sports participants (whose best corrected vision in the affected eye is 20/40 or worse).
• Any eyewear used during sports participation should comply with the standards set forth by either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), or the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE).