Many athletic activities involve actions that include sliding against the ground or another playing surface. In baseball and softball, for example, an athlete may slide when approaching a base in order to avoid contact with a member of an opposing team. In soccer, an athlete may slide to kick a soccer ball away from a member of an opposing team. In American football, an athlete (e.g., a quarterback) may slide when possessing a football to avoid being tackled by a member of an opposing team. Accordingly, sliding may be utilized as an effective offensive or defensive action in a variety of athletic activities.
Although sliding against the ground may be executed in a variety of ways, a common method of sliding is performed by inducing at least one of the legs to extend outward in front of the athlete. More particularly, the athlete may be running or otherwise moving in a particular direction. The athlete then lowers toward the ground such that the legs extend outward in front of the athlete and in the direction of movement. As the athlete transitions between running and sliding, the primary point of contact between the athlete and the ground shifts from the feet to the hip area. That is, the primary point of contact when sliding may be the area corresponding with a joint between the femur and the pelvis (i.e., the femoral joint). Other portions of the athlete, including sides of the legs, hands, and arms may also contact the ground.
An athlete may incur a variety of injuries from sliding. As an example, impact between the body of the athlete (e.g., at the femoral joint) and the ground may cause bruising or other types of compressive injuries. As another example, clothing may rub against skin of the athlete (e.g., at the femoral joint) and cause friction burns or abrasive injuries. Although either of these injuries may occur from sliding, athletes commonly perform slides and risk these injuries during athletic competitions or practice sessions.