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College football wearing uniform, helmet, and arm sleeve quarterback catching the ball.

Essential Protective Gear for College Sports

College athletes train hard and play hard. At that level, the athletes have long since learned many techniques for avoiding injury on the field and during training. Wearing all the right protective gear maximizes the chances of avoiding impact and exertion injuries.  

The Best Sports Protective Gear for College Athletes 

This guide outlines five important pieces of gear to protect the most vulnerable areas of the body between a player’s helmet and cleats.  

Hip, Tailbone, and Thigh Protection 

Football compression shorts provide support to muscles to help prevent pulls and fatigue. Compression shorts with integrated pads help protect the player from injuries from impacts to the hips, tailbone, and thighs. 

McDavid Hex Thudd Short 

McDavid Hex Thudd Short in black

This padded football girdle, with its 9mm HEX® Technology, moves effortlessly with the athlete, keeping state-of-the-art impact protection on the hips, tailbone, and thighs at all times. Appropriate for collegiate level football, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey, McDavid HEX Thudd Shorts have flat, strong, comfortable seams and hDc® Moisture Management Technology to keep them dry and breathable.   

Knee Protection 

Compression sleeves help to support the muscles and ligaments around the knee, increasing stability to prevent injury. They also increase blood flow, which can help promote pain relief and accelerate recovery from an injury. They are essential for preventing knee sprains and ligament tears in any sports that require excessive running, quick direction changes, or jumping.  

Incrediwear Knee Sleeve 

Incrediwear knee sleeve shown beside package which has a picture of man's legs on turf, wearing it.

The Incrediwear Knee Sleeve, with its high-tech fabric, increases blood flow and supports the injured area, while wicking away moisture and allowing full mobility. These knee sleeves come in five sizes (med.-3xl), to ensure proper fit.  

Arm and Elbow Protection 

Contact sports require more padding in more places. When it comes to contact sports, elbows can be especially vulnerable. Arm compression sleeves maintain muscle warmth and provide a layer of protection against abrasions and scratches. Most importantly, for high intensity sports like football, basketball, or rugby, the elbow padding protects against impact injuries. 

McDavid HEX® Shooter Arm Sleeve 

OrthOut McDavid Hex Shooter Arm in black, shown on isolated black man's arm on white background.

The 9mm HEX® Technology padding at the elbow provides cushioning to help prevent impact injuries to the elbow. This easy-care McDavid HEX® Shooter Arm Sleeve wicks away moisture for increased comfort during collegiate practice and play.  

Chest Protection 

When it comes to baseball, softball, and football, "taking one to the chest” can cause minor or serious injury. With the proper chest protection, you can decrease the risk of injury and pain of impacts to the chest, whether from the ball or another player.  

McDavid HEX Sternum Shirt 

McDavid HEX Sternum Shirt in white

The McDavid HEX® Sternum Shirt is a lightweight, padded shirt ideal for preventing impact injuries to the chest during NCAA baseball, softball, and football. It’s especially needed for pitchers and batters. The mesh fabric and moisture-wicking technology help you stay dry and comfortable while playing hard.   

Mouth Protection 

For contact sports such as football, soccer, and baseball, mouthguards protect a player’s teeth in the event of an impact to the head. They also prevent athletes from biting their tongue during play. 

McDavid Gel Max Power - Shock Doctor Mouthguard 

Red McDavid Gel Max Power - Shock Doctor Mouthguard

The McDavid Gel Max Power provides high-impact tech with the comfort of a low-profile design. This Shock Doctor mouthguard features a tight, natural fit and a reinforced inner grid to provide protection for all levels of competition.  

Get Quality College Sports Protection Gear Shipped Directly to Your Door from OrthOut 

Wearing the right protective equipment for NCAA sports can help prevent injuries and reduce their severity. At Orthopedic Outfitters, we offer the best protective gear to prevent sports injuries, whether you’re playing hard or training hard.   

When you shop at OrthOut for your sports protection gear, you benefit from our more than 20 years of experience outfitting athletes for training, playing, and recovery. Most OrthOut orders ship weekdays from our California warehouse, typically arriving in 1-5 days. When you spend $50 or more, the shipping is free. 

 

Shop for all your sports protection gear needs today! 

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