Let me just start by saying that some may consider this a bold statement about the sport of paintball. Paintball is one of the safest sports as of today although it is classified as an “extreme” sport. It is safe because people are careful and at the same time extreme because of its intensity.
The argument in favor of the reason that paintball games are one of the safest sports is because players take it seriously. Responsibility and accountability should be maintained while playing a good game of painball. Paintball has the potential of being dangerous so the word of the day for you is caution.
The fact that the world of paintball has a huge injury myth has been kept by PSP (Paintball Sports Promotions). This myth only exists in the minds of general public and not in the statistical data. The industry has revealed that the not so common eye injury which has been highly publicized almost always occurs when the proper protective gear in not worn and on fields that are unsupervised and often illegal.
Paintball has the lowest injury rate of any extreme sport. This is supported by statistical data which shows that only .2 injuries per 1,000 exposures ever occur. According to Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, the average player will suffer an injury about once every 500 years.
Goggles are the number one priority, out of all the gear that is involved in the sport of paintball. The sport of paintball is extremely safe if played on a regulated field. Wearing of goggles is mandatory at all times while playing on the legitimate field. To block accidental discharge of paintballs from guns (markers) in staging areas, use of barrel plugs or barrel socks are also employed by field owners.
If we see an overall picture in comparison to other sports of today like soccer, tennis, and even bowling, paintball stands safer than them. I must mention here that this game is played mostly by girls and guys ages 12 -24. I can’t tell you how much fun I have when I have the chance to get out there inspite my age being 35 years. Age doesn’t matter so much if the player is active enough. I have seen guys as old as 45 enjoying the game thoroughly.