The first step to staying safe in sports is using the appropriate, approved protective equipment. Helmets protect your head and brain from injury. To make sure you wear your helmet and other equipment properly, ask a coach or other qualified adult for help. Would you play tackle football without a helmet and other essential protective gear? —No. It's important to wear an appropriate helmet when riding a bicycle, for example. In some places, it’s the law. Your parents or another grown-up in charge of you can get in legal trouble if you do not wear your helmet.
It is also important to stretch your muscles before playing sports. Your coach can explain how to stretch and which muscles to stretch. If you don’t have a coach for your sport, you can find information on a reputable website, such as a sport’s official site; don’t hesitate to ask a trusted adult for help finding it.
Also, don’t play sports if you already have an injury, because you could accidentally worsen it and make it take much longer to heal.
