do we really need helmets and protective gears when we play football with our friends?

Nothing would've prevented those injuries. Knee pads have nothing to do with dislocated knees, the only thing that would've prevented that is a knee brace, which are $250-$300 each. Nobody wears protection for wrists, but the little pads they do make (not mandatory and not used during organized play) could have absorbed the impact if he fell on it with his forearm and back of his hand hitting down. Helmets actually increase the chances of concussions. Concussions are caused by the head quickly jolting in a certain direction. Helmets are made very rounded so when two helmets collide, they jolt back and slide off of each other. This decreases neck injuries but increases concussions, which is likely what you had seeing as how you blacked out.

Your group should just go back to two hand touch and drop the contact part of your games. I can assure you that when somebody suffers a serious injury, including the dislocated knee, that a parent will hire a personal injury lawyer for the medical bills, permanent impairment, and all of the other "misfortune." Don't look at your friends; rather, look at their mommy. Your crew really is playing with dangerous situation in the legal environment of the 21st century. Touch or flag football would be the better route to go.

Well if you want to be safer and not get hurt, a helmet make you a lot safer, even if you even look at it your safer already. Protective gears are also safer for you, it can reduce the risk of a dislocated knee for example.

Leave the gear off. We all grew up playing football and the only protective gear we wore in pick up games was sneakers.

But don't eat the lead paint.

you don't need gear just a mouthguard like in rugby. just use yur brain when you are making a tackle for example don't dive head first into someones knee instead make a good clean tackle

yea , of course , i used to play without protective gear and ended up dislocating my shoulder

no be a man i played football when i was in 8th grade and people were hurt and now there fine its football if you want to play a less contact game be a field fairy go play soccer

yes no reason to basicly just get hurt like your other friends