Racket Sports

 

The following is the conclusion and summary of a recent article in “Council on Sports Vision”:

 

“Our data shows that injuries are not affected by the experience of the player. Good court manner and good defensive play, coupled with a device to prevent the projectile or racket from hitting the eye, are the difference between a serious injury and a blow that is hardly noted before play is continued.”

 

The prevention of eye injuries in sports is a goal that can be achieved with relatively little expenditure of funds. The benefit gained both in terms of suffering and disability prevented as well as in the saving of medical cost to society far outweighs the cost of educational and monitoring programs. This is demonstrated in hockey, which was responsible for approximately 30,000 facial and 5,000 eye injuries in 1975. Rule changes and facial protective devices were developed by interested physicians, athletes, coaches, and manufacturers on a voluntary basis. Adoption of the recommended preventative measure has resulted in a dramatic reduction of eye and facial injuries to the players in amateur hockey and high school hockey programs who have followed the recommendations.”

 

The study recommended having plastic or polycarbonate lenses in an athletic or industrial type frame. Close your eyes a few minutes while you ponder this. . . .

 

PREVENTING EYE INJURIES
IN RACKET SPORTS

 

Avoid looking back to watch an opponent returning the ball. However, if you do, look out of the corner of your eye.

 

Wear good shoes to avoid slipping.

 

Give your opponent plenty of room to swing and follow through.

 

Toward the end of a close game, don’t crowd your opponent you both might be tired, and this is when someone usually gets injured.

 

When your opponent is striking the ball, it is safer to stand diagonally to his rear rather than directly to his side.

 

Avoid hitting an opponent with the ball or racket.

 

Give your opponent the opportunity to get to and/or strike at the ball from any position.

 

Hinders should be called without a claim by a player, especially in close plays and on game points.

 

All players should have rackets with a thong that must be securely wrapped on the wrist when playing.

 

Hinders should be called without a claim by a player, especially in close plays and on game points.