September is National Childhood Injury Prevention Month.

*More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages five and 24. Collision and contact sports have higher injury rates; baseball, soccer, basketball, and football account for about 80% of all sports-related emergency room visits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

*Sixty-seven percent of parents say their child does not wear a mouthguard, yet, 70 percent say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt.

*Of the parents whose children do not wear a mouthguard, 84 percent say it’s because the league or coach does not require it.

*The average high school baseball pitcher can throw a fast ball between 75 and 85 miles per hour. This compares to being hit in the mouth by a speeding car!

We hope this helps you remember to wear a mouthguard and other forms of protective gear when participating in fall sports around Lakewood, CA! We encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions!