Volleyball is among the safest sports out there, but injuries can happen. To keep things as safe as possible while playing volleyball, follow these tips. Safe Volleyball Gear Use the right gear: Knee pads to protect the knees when sliding or falling. Padded shorts to protect the hips when diving for a ball. Other pads and braces such as elbow or forearm pads, ankle or wrist braces, or thumb splints. Volleyball shoes for good traction on gym floors and extra padding for comfort. Mouthguards to protect the teeth, lips, cheeks, and tongue. Prescription goggles for players who wear glasses and shatterproof sunglasses when playing outside. Athletic supporters for guys and sports bras for girls for support and comfort. Safe Volleyball Training To prevent injuries during training, players should: Get a sports physical before starting any training program. Be in good shape before playing volleyball. Always warm up and stretch before practice and matches. Use proper technique. If there are concerns about technique, a trained instructor can help. Stop training if they get injured or feel pain. They need to get checked by an athletic trainer, coach, doctor, or nurse before going back on the court. Play different sports throughout the year to prevent overuse injuries. Back to Articles Related Articles 5 Reasons for Girls to Play Sports Playing organized sports can help girls do better off the field as well as on. Find out how. Read More 5 Ways to Prepare for Your Sports Season How can you get ready to play your best season ever? Read these tips for teen athletes. Read More A Guide to Eating for Sports You've prepared for the game in almost every way possible: but now what should you eat? Read about performance foods, nutritional supplements, and more. Read More Dealing With Sports Injuries You practiced hard and made sure you wore protective gear, but you still got hurt. Read this article to find out how to take care of sports injuries - and how to avoid getting them. Read More Dehydration Dehydration is when the amount of water in the body has dropped too low. Read about what causes dehydration, what it does to your body, and how to prevent it. Read More Dealing With Stress In Sports Winning is all that matters when you play sports, right? Not when that means you can't even enjoy the game. Read about how to handle sports pressure and competition. Read More Nutrition & Fitness Center Visit our nutrition and fitness center for teens to get information and advice on food, exercise, and sports. Read More Sports Center This site has tips on things like preparing for a new season, handling sports pressure, staying motivated, and dealing with injuries. Read More Sports Physicals Just as professional sports stars need medical care to keep them playing their best, so do student athletes. That's why it's important to get a sports physical. Read More Sports Supplements Sports supplements are products used to enhance athletic performance. Lots of people who want to improve their performance have questions about how supplements work and whether they're safe. Read More Sports and Exercise Safety Playing hard doesn't have to mean getting hurt. The best way to ensure a long and injury-free athletic career is to play it safe from the start. Find out how. Read More Sportsmanship Some people define good sportsmanship as treating the people that you play with and against as you'd like to be treated yourself. Learn more about what good sportsmanship is all about. Read More Concussions How can you tell if you have a concussion? What should you do? And what's going to happen with sports and school? The facts are all on this site for teens. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.