Football Equipment - What's Essential & What's Not

Football equipment is used by football players to protect their body during games. As we all know, football is a rough game that requires so much action that is why it is essential to protect your body to prevent injuries. The basic equipment that most football players wear includes a shoulder pad, helmet, athletic supporter, gloves, shoes, knee pads and thigh pads. There are also some added equipment that can be worn to provide added protection such as neck rolls, elbow pads, hip pads, mouth guards, rib pads, and other equipment. However, it is not advisable to wear too many football equipments as they may limit your moves in the course of the game. When playing football, only gear up what is necessary.

The football helmet is very important equipment that a football player must use every time. It is composed of several parts such as the jaw pads, shell, air bladders, face mask, mouth guard and chin strap. A helmet is a requirement for all levels of organized football. Despite of it being a useful protective gear, footballs player can still suffer head injuries. The common one is concussion. A shoulder pad is a hard plastic made out of shell that has a built in shock absorber foam underneath. This is by far the most intricate equipment that a football player wears. The shoulder pads are the one that gives a player a broad shoulder which perfectly fits an adult player. Players must use shoulder pat to absorb the shock caused by an impact in the game. The athletic supporter may be a small undergarment but it plays a very important role in the life of a player. This is designed to contain and support the genitalia of the player. Some athletic supporter or jockstrap as it is commonly known have a built-in pocket to hold resistance which protects the penis and the testicles from injury. The jersey is one of the most important football equipment that needs to be used. This is usually made up of nylon and spandex panels. The purpose of this design is to keep the opponents from grabbing the jersey and take advantage of it as leverage. Jerseys do have patches affixed to determine which team a player belongs. They also come in different colors and designs depending on the logo of the team. Pants are also made of nylon and mesh that has a tight fit. They do have pads in the pocket to protect the legs. Football players often have different sets of pants depending on the weather.

Some football equipment can also be used optionally as they are not really necessary. However, for added protection you can make use of pads for the hip, thigh and knees. Mouth guards are also useful to protect the teeth in case of traumatic collisions and blows. Neck rolls are used to protect the head and the neck. A garment made out of foam that is fitted around the back part of the neckline.