Some people think that paintballing is one of the best outdoor fun experiences you can have and others think it is something to avoid as it’s far too dangerous, so who is right?
The short answer is that if you follow safety protocols and wear the right gear such as choosing the best tactical boots and protective equipment you should be able to enjoy this awesome sport safely and without coming to any serious harm.
Here is a more detailed overview of what dangers exist when you go paintballing and how to have a great time without getting injured.
It is not the paintballs you have to worry about
A very common question asked by the majority of paintballing newbies is whether it hurts to get hit by a paintball and how just how dangerous is it as an activity?
The bottom line is that paintball events run by professionals tend to be very safety-conscious and if you abide by the rules explained to you before you start the game your chances of getting injured are low.
In fact, the majority of paintball-related injuries are more likely to be as a result of people not following safety procedures or advice and you are more likely to get hurt when running or falling than by the actual paintballs themselves.
Twisting an ankle is probably more likely than being injured by a paintball so it pays to take care and think about your surroundings while enjoying yourself and getting caught up in the game.
The stats say it all
As you would expect, injury data is collected annually and one body, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), for example, estimates that more than 10 million people play paintball annually and just one in 135,000 will be admitted to hospital with an injury.
Those numbers help to illustrate that you are no more likely to be injured playing paintball than if you are a runner, and an interesting comparison would be that the sport is statistically safer than bowling.
Playing by the rules
Injuries are far more likely to occur when a player loses concentration for a moment or fails to follow safety protocols.
Taking your mask off during a game, for instance, even if it is for a few seconds, puts you at risk. Avoid doing something like that while you are playing and you should discover that paintball is not only great fun but safe as long as you obey the rules and have a good awareness of your surroundings.
Incidents, where serious injuries occur, are thankfully rare in paintball and it is to be expected that minor injuries can and do happen on a regular basis, just as they do with virtually every other sport you care to mention.
As long as you are sensible and follow the instructions and safety guidelines given to you before the game there is no reason to take the view that paintball is as dangerous as some people seem to think it is.
What about you? Have you had a go at paintball yet?
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