While playing field hockey, the hands of the player handling the puck are naturally unprotected. Because of this, there is a high chance of getting hurt, especially if you are not careful. This is why most people playing field hockey wear gloves. The purpose of these gloves is to offer better touch-based control over the puck and to prevent injuries to the hands, fingers or wrists. So, let’s take a look at the various reasons why field hockey players wear gloves.
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To Prevent Injuries To The Hands, Fingers, And/Or Wrist
Let’s face it, playing field hockey can be rough on the hands, fingers, and wrists. You are holding a heavy puck, diving after it, and taking hard hits on the hands and fingers. All this adds up to a high degree of injury vulnerability. Luckily, wearing gloves can help prevent these injuries to the hands, fingers, and wrists. For instance, if you are handling the puck on the forehand and are suddenly hit with an upper-body hit, your wrist might get injured. This is why most field hockey players wear a glove on the right wrist. The purpose of this is to offer better protection against these kinds of injuries. There are also safer ways of handling the puck, such as the neutral zone trap or breakout passes. An example of the benefits of these strategies is that they reduce the number of times you have to put your hands in when handling the puck. This reduces the overall risk of injury. So, if you want to play safer and prevent injuries, you should try out these strategies. They can also help your team get the best from their players and allow them to dominate the opposition.
To Feel The Puck Better
Apart from preventing injuries, the other important reason why most field hockey players wear gloves is to feel the puck better. This is particularly important for players who are left-handed, as they have to feel the puck with the palm of their left hand, which is usually the weaker hand. This can help them control the puck better and prevent injuries to the wrists, arms, and shoulders from excessive handling. Also, feeling the puck better allows for better shot accuracy and more opportunities to score goals. This is why most forwards and defencemen wear gloves while playing field hockey. The only people who do not wear gloves are goalkeepers and goalies because they have to feel the ball with their whole hand, which is the same for both feet. This is just one example of how wearing gloves can benefit the player and how much they help in controlling the puck. There are other reasons why players enjoy the feel of the puck when it is dry and protected, such as shooting accuracy and controlling the game flow.
To Avoid Scratching The Face Or Eye Of The Opponent
Face-scratching and eye-gouging are two common causes of injuries in recreational hockey. These injuries are usually caused by an opponent during a fight. To avoid getting hurt by your opponent, you should never engage in a fight nor should you ever lower your defences. There are also ways of avoiding these kinds of injuries, such as playing in a league with strict rules or, at least, a good referee who will stop the fight and issue a penalty for the offending player. Another way of avoiding these injuries is by wearing protective gear, such as masks, mouthguards, or helmets. These prevent your face from getting damaged and protect your eyes from getting scratched by an opponent’s nails or teeth. So, if you want to stay safe and play like you are supposed to, you should wear protective gear, especially if you are in a fight with another player. Wearing gloves while playing field hockey also helps with this, as it adds a layer of protection between your hands and the face of the other player.
To Provide Better Touch-based Control
Most sports require a lot of handling the puck, whether it is shooting, passing, driving the net, or fighting for the puck. This is especially true for field hockey, as it is a very physical game and requires a lot of hard work. You are constantly having to jump, rush, and fight for the ball, so it is important to protect your hands as much as possible. This is why most players prefer using their fingers or thumbs when handling the puck, as this is the only way they can be certain of maintaining control over the ball. When the ball is wet and slippery, this is much more difficult to do, as there is now more room for error. You can also improve your handling and control of the puck by practicing with a hockey puck on the streets or the backyard. In addition, you can use a smaller ball—such as a tennis ball or a beach ball—to improve your stick skills before taking the puck to the ice.
To Feel More Comfortable In Cold Weather
We all like to keep our hands warm, which is why we put on our gloves whenever we go outside. While it is nice to have warm hands, it is also important to stay protected from the cold weather, particularly if you are an outdoor hockey player and spend a lot of your time in the cold. This is why most hockey players wear gloves while playing in the outdoors. It is also important to add that if you are going to be in cold weather and do not wear gloves, you should still cover your hands with mittens or ski gloves to keep them from getting cold.
To Prevent Puck Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
One of the most common injuries among field hockey players is carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a condition where the median nerve in the wrist is compressed, resulting in pain, tingling, and/or numbness in the hand, fingers, and/or forearm. The condition is most often caused by overuse, as the nerves are very close to the surface of the wrist and are often overstretched as a result of constant jostling and movement. This is why most field hockey players wear gloves to prevent this injury. Wearing gloves helps keep the nerve cushions between the bones of the wrist, which reduces the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. This is especially important for female field hockey players, as they have to take care of the kids and do chores around the house while playing. So, to keep their hands free for the most important tasks, they need to wear gloves while playing field hockey. In some cases, the condition can be treated successfully with surgery. In these cases, the athlete may need to take time off from playing. So, for the best chance of fully recovering, they should try and reduce the stress on the wrist as much as possible, which is why they wear gloves while playing.
To Improve Accuracy When Shooting
A common cause of injuries for most hockey players is getting hit with a shot. Most of these injuries are a direct result of being distracted by the play, which allows the opponent’s shot to sneak past you. Whether you are a professional hockey player or a recreational one, trying to improve your overall accuracy when shooting the puck can greatly reduce the amount of injuries you sustain while playing. One way of doing this is by wearing gloves while playing, as this will help you maintain a clean shot by distracting the opponent and preventing them from getting in the way of your shot.
To Feel More Confident
Apart from preventing injuries, playing field hockey can be very intimidating. This is mostly because there are a lot of people around you, mostly opponents who want to hurt you. One way of combating this nervousness is by wearing gloves. When you put on your gloves, you feel a small but profound sense of confidence. This is mainly because you feel like you are protecting something important—your hands, which are the source of your power in terms of both offense and defence. This sense of intimidation disappears when you are on the ice, as you are now protected by your team’s defenders, who are there to prevent your opponents from scoring.
To Prevent Sliding When Diving
While playing field hockey, it is important to stay on your feet. This is because being on the ground means you are open to attack. While it is important to protect yourself against injury, taking a hard fall is sometimes unavoidable, so you must be capable of getting back up on your feet. If you are not, you should probably reconsider whether or not you should be playing this sport. Luckily, there is a way of preventing injury when taking a fall, which is by wearing gloves. When you are diving for the puck and trying to catch it with your hands, if you put on your gloves first, the puck will stick to the palm of your hand, preventing you from sliding around on the ice. When you do this, it also slows down the game, as now the goalie has to wait to see if you will get up on your feet before they can go back into gear and start over again. So, if you put on your gloves before taking a dive, you can prevent injuries and slow the game down.