Extrinsic Risks:
- Field/Weather Conditions
- As an all-season and all-conditions sport, Quidditch can be played during any weather condition.
- Snow or cold weather can freeze/harden field.
- Potential for hypothermia on cold/wet days.
- Make sure players keep warm on sideline.
- Modifiable: players can wear warm clothing.
- Rain can create puddles on field.
- Summer and hot days have potential risk for heat stroke.
- Hydration can reduce risk.
- Some players aren’t aware of hydration levels.
- Modifiable: instruct players to drink water and stay cool.
- Unmodifiable: weather cannot be altered.
- As an all-season and all-conditions sport, Quidditch can be played during any weather condition.
- Bumps or holes in field
- Quad is not an actual field, and is not in good condition.
- Danger and risk to joints.
- Risk and potential for head injury.
- Modifiable: Move practices to an actual field, fill in holes, maintain field.
- Muddy fields
- Constant rain in Victoria.
- Less grip on field, potential risk for sprains or damage to knee/ankle joints.
- Unmodifiable: weather cannot be altered, but can recommend cleats to help with stability.
- Length of warm-up before games/practices
- Longer time reduces risk of injuries (strains or muscle pulls)
- Modifiable: can extend time of warm-up.
- Experience of other players
- As a club team, anyone can join, and all amateurs are inexperienced, which increases risk for themselves and the other players.
- Experienced players could be too intense against amateurs.
- Unmodifiable: experience comes with time, however, amateurs can be prepared as much as possible before playing.
- Equipment
- Brooms bring high risk potential for injury.
- Unmodifiable: brooms are mandatory, and must reach a certain length.
- Brooms bring high risk potential for injury.
- Mouthguards
- Are not mandatory, despite being a full contact sport.
- Modifiable: Can recommend everyone to wear mouthguards.
- Balls
- Bludgers can be dangerous if fully pumped.
- Modifiable: Can check/maintain equipment.
Intrinsic Risks:
- Players
- Lack of experience can endanger themselves and others.
- Unmodifiable: can only instruct and prepare players as best as you can.
- Variety of physical fitness, size, and gender.
- Players have wide variation in body type and fitness level.
- Unmodifiable: Sport is co-ed, and anyone can join, no matter what condition they are in. Can suggest cardio exercises to increase fitness.
- Players have wide variation in body type and fitness level.
- Previous injuries or concussions.
- Increase in risk for greater injury if previous one has already occurred.
- Unmodifiable: only thing I can do is prepare for any potential injuries. I can’t stop them from playing.
- Increase in risk for greater injury if previous one has already occurred.
- Fatigue
- Quidditch does not stop until the game ends. It is a constant sport, like rugby, and therefore people can fatigue easily, or become unaware of their condition, increasing potential for risk.
- Quidditch does not stop until the game ends. It is a constant sport, like rugby, and therefore people can fatigue easily, or become unaware of their condition, increasing potential for risk.
- Lack of experience can endanger themselves and others.
Rules to Reduce Injury:
Tackling:
- A player can only be tackled if they have a ball.
- A player can only be tackled by someone who uses the same ball.
- A player cannot tackle from behind. If a tackle is legally initiated, and then turns into a tackle from behind, it is still legal.
- A player can only use one arm to tackle.
- This both reduces/increases chance of injury, as it is much harder to tackle with one arm. It also focuses contact on one shoulder joint.
- High tackles and ankle tackles are not allowed.
- No slide tackles, holding, or tripping.
Snitches:
- May not intentionally injure someone.
Brooms:
- Must be between 36 and 48 inches long.
- Must be wooden or plastic.
- Must be safe, judged by head referee.
Hoops or Faulty Equipment:
- If during play a hoop is broken, play continues, and the hoop is fixed after play subsides.
- If a broom breaks, it must be replaced before player can engage in the game again.
- If a ball becomes faulty, play is stopped, and the ball is replaced.
Strategies to Prevent Injury:
- Provide, improve, or suggest better warm-up drills.
- Start organizing a cool down part to practice to help reduce injury, and quicken recovery time.
- Observe closely and watch for any dangerous plays, fatigue, or hazards on the field or players.
- Encourage better stretching techniques.
- Encourage more water breaks.
- Complete pre game field checks, and remove any garbage or hazards on the field. At the same time, assess safety of field condition.
- Check equipment before starting.
- Mouthguards and cleats.
- Hoops.
- Balls.
- Brooms.
Common Injuries:
- Sprains
- Extensive amount of tackling, quick movements, and running raise potential for sprains. Usually not serious, and fairly unavoidable.
- Dislocations & Fractures
- A full contact sport invites aggression and intensity, and therefore dislocations. Tackling increases risk of injury, especially with inexperienced players. Fractures are less common.
- Muscular Strains and Contusions
- Since Quidditch is twice a week, back to back, muscles tend to be sore the second day. Also depending on the physical fitness of players, some are more likely to suffer a strain. If there is no warm-up, or no sufficient warm-up, this is more common and prone to happen.
- Lacerations
- Depending on the cleats and the broom used, combined with the full contact aspect, risk is high. A player could be stepped on, speared with a broom, or accidentally hit with a cleat.
- Concussions
- Overuse
- As a full contact sport, this is an obvious risk. If a player’s head is ‘rung’, the brain can bump into the inner lining of the skull, and can vary from mild to severe.
Since the game is constantly going, and there are rarely stops in play, it is easy for players to overuse their muscles. It is important to provide enough rest for players during and between games.