Youth sports are a great part of growing up, and soccer is one of the most popular sports out there. However, like any sport, it comes with certain dangers. Most sports injuries are minor, but still need to be treated as soon as possible. What items do you need to have in a youth soccer first aid kit? We put together a basic guide to the items that you will need to treat the most common injuries.
Ice Packs
Ice packs are great at reducing swelling and pain from bumps and bruises. Bruised shins, shin splints, falls and sprains are very common in soccer, making ice packs a must have. You can consult an athletic trainer or doctor for more information about icing specific injuries. Apart from ice packs, you can also use cold sprayers to numb and relieve the pain.
Elastic bandages
With all the running, kicking, and quick turns that soccer players have to make, sprains are very common. Elastic bandages help support sprains by limiting motion and providing compression, preventing swelling. When wrapped by an athletic trainer or a trained coach, elastic bandages can even let an athlete back onto the field with an injury. Elastic bandages can also be used to hold gauze or ice packs in place.
Pain Relievers
Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen are great for staying on your feet after an injury. Some kits will come with these, but usually the quantities are pretty low, so stocking a larger bottle will be necessary for most teams.
Antiseptic
Antiseptics are used to clean cuts and scrapes. They help prevent infection by killing any germs that may have gotten into the open injury. Soccer players will get abrasions and other small cuts from sliding and falling down. Each cut should be cleaned and properly dressed. The antiseptic will sting when applied but it is essential for the cut to heal well in the long term.
Small and Medium Bandages
Small and medium bandages for kids are good for stopping bleeding from scrapes and protecting abrasions such as a brush burn. Keeping an assortment of bandages in a youth soccer first aid kit will allow you to be prepared for any injury, large or small.
Every youth soccer first aid kit should at least include these items, but there are always other useful items that could be added, such as sting relief wipes, gloves for protection and gauze. A coach should take responsibility or assign responsibility to a parent for keeping the kit fully stocked with items that are up to date. Checking for any expiration dates and replacing items that are used can be a little time consuming, but it is important to have the items that you need, because an injury could happen when you least expect it.
Overall
If you are looking for refills for a kit, try out our kit refills. These have some of the most commonly used items so you can easily replace the contents of your kit.
