Water Polo Injuries

In the sport of water polo, injuries arise very easily. The only protection the players have is a cap, with plastic coverings for their EARS. The rest of their body is their own responsibility to protect. Simple injuries are, sunburn, in the sport of water polo only a small amount of sun block is allowed. If a player were to use too much sun block, he would be slippery giving him an advantage over other players. Meaning these players sometimes practice daily without any protection from the sun, it doesn't seem like a big injury, I understand, but in their future's they could be affected greatly because of this rule. The major injuries that occur, are in their shoulders, if a player has not warmed up properly they could pull their muscles and be out for a whole season.


Other injuries are broken ribs from other players kicking and punching them underwater. Broken arms and fingers are not rare in the sport, since the other players will kick them quickly and swim away; there would be no way to prove they did this because it happened underwater. For women, the players pull them underwater by pulling their hair, they gain an upper hand by putting their fingers up their suits, unzipping their swimsuits and it is not uncommon for them to be kneed in the back when they are being defended. For the males, the same things will occur, some players will even put their hands into the player’s suit, to pull them down and hurt them in any way they can. Kicking and punching is not against the rules, so players will kick other males in the genitals to gain an advantage.



“If I can't see the punches, then I don’t care" - South Florida Ref.