All new players share a common apprehension when considering lacrosse: the game has a reputation for being quite aggressive. Because of the high risk of injury, many individuals interested in playing the game never do so.
So, is lacrosse dangerous?
Playing lacrosse requires a fair amount of physical exertion and is not without its dangers.
Realizing that risks are always involved and that you need to improve your gameplay strategy might be helpful. Professional lacrosse players know how to protect themselves from injury.
Find out if you can fight in Lacrosse here.
| Quick Summary Lacrosse is always a full-contact sport, which does not make it more hazardous than any other contact sport. If you take precautions and play safely, you shouldn’t worry about breaking any bones. |
How Dangerous Lacrosse Is?
Various elements, including the regulations, the level of play, and safety measures taken, make it difficult to establish a comprehensive score when comparing the hazard levels of sports. However, to put the risks of lacrosse in context with those of other popular sports, consider the following:
Lacrosse Vs. Football
Full-contact sports like football increase the risk of serious injuries, such as concussions, broken bones, and other neck and head trauma. Because of the physical nature of the sport, players are more likely to get catastrophic injuries from even minor incidents.
While contact and collisions in lacrosse may lead to injuries, players can lessen their chances of harm by wearing protective gear such as protective gloves, headgear, and shoulder pads. Physical contact and harsh play are also restricted under the sport’s regulations.
Lacrosse Vs. Baseball
Lacrosse is more risky than baseball based on the protective gear required for each. Due to the quick sprinting, dodging, and other dangerous maneuvers required in lacrosse, injuries are more common.
It’s not uncommon for athletes to return from practices with scrapes and cuts.
Baseball, on the other hand, has a lot less chance of accidents because it’s more about tactics, and there isn’t as much hard-hitting or play.
| Check out our discussion on Lacrosse vs. Baseball. |
Lacrosse Vs Rugby
Another example of a very physical and contact-oriented sport is rugby. Playing without pads increases the likelihood of serious injuries such as broken bones, desolated joints, and concussions. With its focus on safety via equipment and regulation, lacrosse is often considered a safer alternative to rugby.
Lacrosse vs Soccer
Even though soccer isn’t a contact sport, there is still a chance of getting hurt. Most of the injuries happen because of crashes, falls, and overuse. Lacrosse proves more risky compared to soccer regarding physical contact because players intentionally hit each other and check sticks.
You can check the following injury data to understand how risky lacrosse is to other sports-
Sport | National Appraisal of Injury During Competition | National Appraisal of Injury During Practice | National Appraisal of Injury During Athlete Exposures |
| Men’s Lacrosse | 2178 | 3367 | 158541 |
| Women’s Lacrosse | 1123 | 2188` | 116314` |
| Football | 199882 | 27217 | 500698 |
| Men’s Basketball | 6259 | 10349 | 417957 |
| Women’s Basketball | 4084 | 6774 | 393620 |
| Baseball | 6916 | 6375 | 1017899 |
| Men’s Soccer | 6458 | 6977 | 360880 |
| Women’s Soccer | 7434 | 7679 | 432347 |
Lacrosse Accidents [By Year]
There were a total of 632 injuries recorded during the preseason, 1154 during the regular season, and 86 in the playoffs between 2014–2015 and 2018–2019.
| Mechanism | Overall Injuries Reported | Competitions Injuries Reported | Practices Injuries Reported |
| Player contact | 488 | 255 | 233 |
| Non-contact | 626 | 178 | 448 |
| Surface Contact | 172 | 67 | 105 |
| Concussion | 149 | 68 | 81 |
| Fracture | 76 | 30 | 46 |
| Sprain | 401 | 170 | 231 |
| Strain | 436 | 110 | 326 |
Michelle Tumolo’s Injury During National Championship
Everything seemed to be on track for the initial twelve games of that season. Everything shifted in an instant during the thirteenth game. Michelle hoped to gain a back check and a turnover by riding a defender. But the situation changed as her knee ligament was tugged back and forth. She had torn her ACL.
Logan Mcnaney Will Be Out For The Remainder Of The Year
Logan McNaney tore his anterior knee ligament and is out for the rest of the season. He was hurt while trying to snag a pass in Maryland’s 12–7 loss to Loyola. He was the best player in the 2022 NCAA playoffs and was named to the subsequent team of preseason All-Americans by US Lacrosse Magazine.
New Jersey Native’s Frightening Injury
We have recently witnessed how Tayloe Everson, a player of Yale Lacrosse, went through suffering a life-taking injury. Yale sophomore claims a Stony Brook player checked her out on February 25; the incident was captured on video. The blow struck Everson in the back. Neither a foul nor a penalty was called.
Kyle Harrison’s Ankle Injury
Lacrosse superstar Kyle Harrison, Ohio Machine squad, went to the doctor about his chronic ankle discomfort. Ankle surgery was the end consequence.
He was given an MRI as well as X-rays. It turned out that he had been playing with an injured ACL and cartilage throughout 2014. Due to ankle surgery, he missed the first half of the 2017 Major League Lacrosse season.
What Makes Lacrosse Dangerous?
Due to the high volume of previous plays, there are several ways to sustain an injury in lacrosse. However, some things can be quite dangerous in this game if you aren’t paying attention.
Collisions
Most injuries occur at the beginning of a game when players are jostling for position to catch the ball. It’s essential to remember that a collision may happen at any time throughout the game, not only after the final whistle is blown.
Low-impact collisions that result in little more than a nod of the head from both players nevertheless need medical treatment for everyone involved. As players clash in their usual attempts to gain possession of the ball, situations are unpredictable and challenging.
Stick Injuries
When playing lacrosse, you may use either your stick or your body to check another player, halting their forward momentum. Since you’re continuously being checked and struck by your opponents, it’s no surprise that these two forms of contact result in so many injuries.
Due to its rigidity, stick checks often result in serious injuries. If your opponent fails to account for your height, they may surprise you by jamming the stick between your knees—major leg injuries from an unexpected tumble, fall, or run-in with a hard stick.
Falling
You and your rivals will fall due to body-checking and stick-checking. To avoid being wounded when you inevitably fall, you must learn to fall correctly in lacrosse.
Repeated falls without proper bracing may cause chronic pain in the shoulders, hips, and back. For this reason, many coaches spend considerable time with younger players, teaching them the technique for falling, sometimes by tripping or checking them on purpose during practice.
5 Common Lacrosse Injuries
Injuries are inevitable, but the extent to which they affect you is something you can control. To assist you in avoiding being hurt while playing lacrosse, we’ll first go over the most prevalent types of injuries that may occur.
- ACL or MCL Tear (Ankle and Knee Sprains)
Pain and swelling are common reactions to an injury that affects the inner cruciate ligament. Further damage may result from ignoring a ripped ACL.
Many athletes get ACL rupture because of the repetitive stress of pivoting and jumping. ACL tears are quite prevalent among athletes who engage in contact sports like lacrosse, basketball, football, and soccer.
- Concussions
A concussion is a common injury in lacrosse. It can happen when you hit another player, get hit in the head with a stick, get hit in your head by the ball, or fall and hit your head on the ground. Even though males wear headgear and girls don’t, injury rates in sports of both genders are the same.
- Hand and Wrist Fractures
Both male and female lacrosse players are susceptible to these kinds of injuries due to the frequency with which they engage in rough play and get stick checks. Fracture rates are somewhat greater for girls, and the lack of cushioning is most likely to blame.
Since there is more contact in men’s lacrosse, shoulder separations and dislocations are more likely.
Compared to other sports like baseball, softball, and swimming, lacrosse has a lower incidence of shoulder overuse injuries. The lacrosse stick provides a mechanical advantage to the thrower and reduces stress on the throwing shoulder.
- Lower Back Pain
The lumbar spine often gets strained repeatedly during lacrosse games when players run and twist.
- Sore feet and shin splints
Running a lot and variations in playing conditions can lead to these injuries.
How To Prevent Lacrosse Injuries?
It all starts with making sure the rules are being followed on the field. But following are some things you can do to be safe and avoid getting hurt while playing.
Play By The Rules
It takes ability and self-discipline to succeed in lacrosse. Whether you’re a guy or a girl. You’ll need to be familiar with lacrosse etiquette for this.
To keep players, coaches, and officials from getting hurt, they must follow the rules that encourage free play and minor contact. You can’t change the way other people feel or behave, but you can alter your outlook.
Protect Yourself By Donning The Necessary Gear
Your safety gear must fit you properly. Girls might want to wear hats and gloves to lower their risk of hurting their heads, faces, hands, and wrists.
Pregame Stretches
Stretching is one of the simplest but most effective methods. Remember to warm up and cool down with some stretching. Every athlete has to take charge of their preseason training.
All Injuries Must Be Reported
If you are hurt, don’t downplay it; tell your coach. Don’t play through pain. There is no gain without suffering. However, it is possible to go too far. It’s terrible for your physical and emotional health, and you shouldn’t do it. Reporting even minor injuries might help avoid more serious ones.
Conclusion
So, now you have all the data and explanation that will help you to come to a determination on whether- is lacrosse dangerous. While lacrosse may seem risky from the sidelines, it is just a moderately risky activity if played by those who have received adequate training. While lacrosse may seem risky from the sidelines, it is just a moderately risky activity if played by those who have received sufficient training.
There are plenty of other sports that are far tougher, and with the correct preparation, you can perform just about anything without risk.
Please don’t go into the game with the expectation that you won’t be struck by anybody on the other team.
