Does wearing protective gear make you a lesser player?

[lynam1104]

Look at the link in Lucky's sig it might give so info as to his age.

 

[TrueSlawter]

Gotta say hardly anyone in the team i play for wears a gum shield, all forwards apart from front row dont, I do now and then as ive got a orthodontist one which sucks as its double so i cant talk at all.. I really need to get a shock doctor one for braces.. either way as people have said its best to have a gumshield and not need one rather than not have one and need it

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's mad, I've never come across anyone who doesn't wear one

 

[TrueSlawter]

I was suprised at first, normally the full back, fly half and front rows wear them everyone else is off and on.. when I play I wear one even though it totally stops me being able to talk with sense and looks stupid.. but im gonna have to live with it till i can afford a decent one.

 

[lucky number 7]

Damm that sounds hi-tech and I thought my one was flash. They're definately good though a bit dear but worth it. Even breathing through shock doctor mouthguards is easier than your average.

I had a good coach who taught me well at a young age. Communication on the field was the easiest thing to learn, the Rugby took many seasons.

Dentures Lucky???...Im thinking your a senior and if so I have nothing but respect, especially if your still playing. Us Samoans conk out of all sports at around 36 onwards, after that its get fat, family and church.

Nah mate I was just comparing how we sound on field with our gumshileds in to how my grandad sounds without his dentures ...he pointed that out to me a few years back after watching us play removed the teeth too for effect

 

[Sam Owen]

Nah mate I was just comparing how we sound on field with our gumshileds in to how my grandad sounds without his dentures ...he pointed that out to me a few years back after watching us play removed the teeth too for effect

Oh yes, yeah true that. I always sound like that at first (when Im quick to talk not realising my mouthguard is still in my mouth) and then out comes the mouthguard and my team understands me clearly.

True story. Every time I get a knock to the mouth and jaw in Rugby I always seem to be wearing my mouthguard, I've been very lucky in those situations. Just this year my team mate swung an opposition player by the jersey in to me and his forehead went smack into my top lip, my front teeth felt numb and dented in but when I went to pull my mouthguard out it was just a bit of blood but my front teeth were fine. The numbing and the feeling of dented in teeth went away during the game.

 

[lucky number 7]

Yeah I only ever damaged my teeth while playing GAA slipped and then a guy flew in and caught me in the jaw with his hip ..i was spitting grit out for a good few minutes before i could get back in it was nasty , but other than that my teeth are solid ...gods bottle opener

 

[g6mcg]

I haven't worn a gum shield for about a year now, and I could have sworn I was once told that they only protected against concussion, not teeth loss. Is that true? My reasons were it was uncomfortable, and I couldn't talk easily, and it kinda restricted my breathing. I'm now considering getting a better one having read all this though!

For what it's worth, I have worn a scrum cap before (was told to by my coach after I was concussed for a month. Gave that up because it was making me too hot. For a coward I'm very lax on safety!).

 

[best_fullback]

I haven't worn a gum shield for about a year now, and I could have sworn I was once told that they only protected against concussion, not teeth loss. Is that true? My reasons were it was uncomfortable, and I couldn't talk easily, and it kinda restricted my breathing. I'm now considering getting a better one having read all this though!

For what it's worth, I have worn a scrum cap before (was told to by my coach after I was concussed for a month. Gave that up because it was making me too hot. For a coward I'm very lax on safety!).

I have heard in the past that gum shields will not protect against teeth loss but will for teeth shattering. The design of a gum shield means it spreads the force across all the teeth but were a blow to be hard enough I'm sure your teeth would still come out in the cheap gum shields. As for the concussion I don't think any gum shields would stop that and neither do headguards. Headguards only help stop facial/head injuries and cuts but there is no evidence to support them lessening the effects of concussion.

 

[FlukeArtist]

I work with a very prominent sports 9and specifically rugby) physician.

He presented a paper to us on Sports injuries. At the end of the presentation, I asked him about protective rugby gear.

He said the only really useful piece of equipment is a good mouthguard (or gumshield if you prefer)
It helps to lessen the likelihood of concussion (as Sam Owen stated previously)

Headgear is only good to prevent cuts an scrapes. It will not lessen any significant impact.

He even went further to state that strapping a previously injured hamstring (for example) will do nothing to stop it from straining again.
And all those players you see these days with that funny strapping on (but not around joints) has no clinical basis whatsoever. He did state however, that there may be a psychological advantage for the player, but thats all speculation as there is no way to prove this.

Personally, I only ever wore a mouth guard, and shin pads when I played hooker... getting shins stood on hurts like a b!#ch

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I have played in the front row my entire playing career (if you can call it that) and can say i never came across or even heard of anyone using shin pads at hooker, weird, maybe its a regional thing?

Its weird that head gear might not help with concussion, Peter Cech (chelsea goalkeeper) got that knock a few years back and all the top sports docs told him if he wanted to keep playing he had to wear headgear to help protect him from further concussions....in the end it cant hurt i guess!

I wear head gear but mainly to protect my ear which was partially ripped off my head...at practice one day back when playing colts

 

[EricD]

I wouldn't say protective gear makes you less of a player. I've played prop and second-row in my short time as a rugby player, and I found a scrum cap to be quite nice. I wouldn't want to go into a scrum without one, or without at least my ears taped. It's not much protection, it's just enough for what was bothering me the most: Ears burning after a long match.

And, of course, a mouthguard is absolutely essential.

 

[zeno]

I wear shoulder pads at centre mainly to aid my tackling, and I think young children shouldn't be discouraged from wearing protection, but not neccecarily encouraged to do so either.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

After tearing my ear a bit in contact training earlier I have a new found respect for people who wear scrum caps :lol:
Bloody stings!