Soccer is thought to be the least harmful sport to a person’s health and wellbeing compared to American football, baseball, and hockey. Soccer seems safer in respect to the number of injuries recorded per game.
However, you can still get injured in soccer like any other activity that involves kicking, jumping, quick pacing, and other similar actions. Risks and injuries are inevitable in sports even with all the safety measures put in place to secure athletes.
In certain situations, injuries can be severe enough to cause a bone fracture that would need a cast to heal properly without further complications. When such nasty injuries occur, soccer players are usually advised to stop playing until they have fully recovered.
However, in certain conditions, a soccer player can continue playing even while having a cast on. This particularly happens when the team has a competitive game for which the injured player has no replacement.
For this to be possible, the injured player must first get cleared by a certified medical expert. Next, they have to cover the cast so that it doesn’t cause harm to other soccer players.
We’ll show you easy ways of covering a cast when playing soccer with it and what you’ll need to cover it properly. We will also briefly go through the rules that govern this situation.
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How to cover a cast for soccer?
When soccer players experience injuries, it is highly recommended that they adequately go through the recovery process. Depending on the severity of the condition, there may be certain exclusions for some injured players.
A soccer player who has fractured a bone may be able to return to the pitch before it has fully healed. The limbs could still be in a cast while they play.
However, soccer players can cover a cast and play only if their doctor says it’s okay. Next, the match official needs to approve that a player can play with a cast before they are allowed on the field.
Covering a cast for soccer: rules and guidelines
The use of casts in soccer by players is governed by certain rules. For the safety of all players on the pitch, some soccer leagues have criteria for the use of a cast while others ban it completely.
So, even if you wrap it up appropriately, some leagues do not allow soccer players to play with casts. Some states in the United States and some other parts of the world have outrightly banned the use of casts during matches.
In the states of Wisconsin and Texas, casts are not permitted during soccer games. Concerns have been raised in other states concerning a cast’s potential threat to other players’ safety on the pitch.
Furthermore, using casts in a soccer game is strictly prohibited by the American Youth Soccer Organization, especially for youngsters aged four to nineteen. Most states in the United States still allow the use of casts as long as they are properly covered.
For instance, the Heartland Premier League in Kansas City has a regulation that requires casts to be properly covered by players using them and declared safe by match officials to opposition players.
The official rules for covering a cast in soccer
According to several soccer rules, if a player wishes to play a soccer game while wearing a cast, the cast must have a particular amount of padding on it.
The rule also stipulates that any casts, braces, or splints worn by soccer players must be adequately cushioned by at least two inches for the player to be considered fit to play. This reduces the chance of hurting other players on the pitch.
To verify this, match referees inspect the cast before allowing you onto the field. You will be allowed to play if only you have wrapped it up properly to avoid jeopardizing yourself or the safety of other players.
If any portion of your cast becomes visible, the match referee will exempt you from actively participating in a match. As a result, you must inspect your cast from every angle to verify that it is well-coated.
Keep in mind that match officials put the safety of other players ahead of yours. Therefore, make sure your referee is pleased with the way you wrapped the cast before playing.
If you can’t wrap it up properly by yourself, you can ask for help from other players or match officials. Players can actively participate in soccer as long as the casted region in their body is properly coated and doesn’t pose a risk to other players.
Learning how to properly cover a cast for a soccer game will benefit you in many ways. This will allow you to play without worrying about it falling off or sagging when you begin to sweat during the game.
Below is a rundown of an effective method you can use in winding up your cast before playing soccer.
What are the things needed to get ready for this procedure? Make sure you have the following materials listed below before engaging in the procedure used in covering up a cast.
- Foam or bubble wrap
- An elastic or stretchy bandage
- Scissors
- Packing tape or medical tape
Last update on 2023-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
All casts must be padded with at least one or two inches of an appropriate material of equivalent minimum thickness and quality, according to the rules of soccer. This material can either be slow-recovery rubber or closed-cell.
It’s uncertain that you’ll be allowed to play a soccer match if you don’t follow the rules to the latter.
The procedure for properly covering up a cast for soccer is listed in the following steps below.
Step 1: Cut the bubble wrap
Cut the width of the bubble wrap to align with the width of your cast using scissors and put it around the cast. The bubble wrap should be cut to about an inch wider than the width of your cast.
A slightly broader bubble wrap will give you more flexibility. Make sure the length is sufficient to cover the cast.
Step 2: Use bubble wrap or foam to cover your cast
The next step is to carefully wrap the cast with bubble wrap or foam. Place a piece of medical tape over one end of the bubble wrap on your cast.
The wrap will not shift when you move around the cast multiple times in this manner. You may need to go around a few times depending on how thick the bubble wrap or form is. The thickness of the wrap must be at least two inches.
Bubble wraps are typically half an inch in thickness. You should anticipate the wrapping to become soft and cushiony after this step. This should prevent any possible hazard to you or other players on the pitch.
Step 3: Apply tape in the relevant areas
After accomplishing step 2, tape the end of the final layer of the bubble wrap with medical or packing tape. Apply some tape to the wrap’s and the cast’s edges. This will prevent the bubble wrap roll from opening or displacing.
Step 4: Apply an elastic bandage to the entire cast
Apply elastic bandages to every portion of the cast to complete this procedure. To ensure a good result, cover the bubble wrap with elastic bandages and ensure that the whole surface of the cast is covered.
Wrap it up as many times as you need to, to make sure that the wrapping is tight—but without cutting off circulation. Most elastic bandages include self-adhesive material that allows them to easily stick to the cast.
Step 5: Finish up with medical or packing tape
Some elastic bandages aren’t as sticky as others. Also, due to your sweat, the sweat of other players bashing into you, and the rigorous nature of soccer, the glue on the elastic bandage might start to fall apart.
Dirt and other game factors might potentially weaken the adhesives. In this situation, use a suitable piece of tape to hold the elastic bandage in place so that the wrapping doesn’t fall off during games.
Step 6: See a certified doctor who will examine the cast covering
When you are through with the process of covering the cast, proceed to obtain a doctor’s approval for your condition. The doctor will issue a signed release form stating that you have correctly covered the cast and are fit to play in the soccer game while wearing it.
Some soccer referees will have to see this release form before they can allow you on the pitch.
Why is it necessary to cover a cast when playing soccer?
The importance of covering a cast cannot be overstated. If you’re still unsure of why wrapping a cast is so important during soccer games, here are vital points you should note.
- Cover a cast for the safety of other players
For those who might not know, the cast is made up of plastic and glass fibers. This is because it’s meant to provide strong and non-bending support for fractured bones or joints for proper healing.
As a result, casts are usually very hard, and colliding with other players with them can easily cause injuries. You risk seriously injuring players on the pitch, as well as match officials, especially the center referee who is always running around the field.
- Safeguarding yourself against further injuries
It’s crucial to keep in mind that you’re participating in an intense sport while also dealing with an injury. As a result, there will be the possibility that you’ll get hurt while playing soccer.
You should exercise extreme caution while playing with an injury to avoid incurring more injuries. For instance, when you fall to the ground while wearing your cast on your arm, you risk damaging the cast or losing the setting of your fracture.
However, the bubble wrap can function as a cushion, reducing the impact of the contact between your arm and the ground. This is why casts must be wrapped to be as padded as possible without restricting movement.
Conclusion
Even though soccer is regarded to be less rough than most contact sports, players still sustain injuries as a result of the game’s intensive nature. Soccer players might cover a cast depending on the severity of their injuries.
Even though wearing a cast may be part of the recovery process of a soccer player, it doesn’t necessitate that they can’t participate in games. They can fully take part in games and other soccer-related activities while wearing a cast, as long as they are cleared by a certified doctor.
Soccer players must properly cover a cast and play according to the doctor’s recommendation. The use of a cast in soccer games is governed by tight restrictions and guidelines in several soccer leagues and jurisdictions.
If you must play a game with a cast, be sure your league allows it. To achieve the best results while playing with a covered cast, make sure to follow all of the directions and steps provided here in this article.
Hi there, I’m Jay.
Soccer is everything in my life! My friends and I have created this blog with all our enthusiasm, passion, and understanding after years of playing pro soccer. Hope you will enjoy it!