No matter how much we might like to claim it, there's no real injury that can come from getting hit below the knees and above the feet with a rubber ball. Having stood in front of shots from some of the best in the world back home, including an AJ Shannon blast that was clocked at 105mph at a camp, I've never gotten a leg injury from a shot in my career playing elite prep school and University lacrosse in the states. Come on. Sure it stings, but it's not going to do anything lasting.
Which I have to say is not be experience, but then I do not claim to be a World Class goalie, just the poor mug who volunteered to go into goal in their first ever match and woke up the following day with 27 purple bruises over my torso, swollen bollocks, and a shin that turned into very interesting shades of blue, red and yellow over the next month while the swelling went down and I was able to walk again. Yes you could say it stung a bit.
From personal experience the medical opinion above is pretty crappy, so I refered the question to a friend of mine a doctor in a midlands hospital for over 20 years, a rugby and minor counties cricket player for his comments. They are appended below: -
Hi John,
thanks for sending through the exchange you have been having about potential injuries to the legs, I needed a laugh. I am not sure who the clown is who states that there are no potential injuries that can occur to the lower leg if hit be a lacrosse ball travelling at speed but he is a braindead ****. He may have been lucky up to now, but not everyone has bones as thick as his head obviously is......
His comments bear the crass niavety of callow youth, it has not happened to me yet, so it won't happen...... if he spent a couple of weeks working in a casualty department he might change his mind..... One of the most common injuries we have to deal with following a test series is damage to young shins and ankles from cricket balls thrown or hit at speed..... it only takes one!
It really is a pity that such ******* should get a hearing....... it is not just the potential for serious immediate damage that he is ignoring, thrombosis for example, but also the long term effects of such injuries which heighten vulnerability to arthritis and circulatory conditions. Seeing as he is invulnerable, ask the **** if he wears a box, or does he have brass balls?
Cheers
Matt