Contact sports
Last checked 23/06/2008
Generally, people with epilepsy are able to take part in contact sports, such as rugby, football (soccer) and hockey, provided the normal safeguards are followed.
An exception to this is boxing, which could be potentially dangerous and may need to be avoided by people with epilepsy. These safeguards include adequate head protection as recommended by the official sporting body.
If your epilepsy has been caused by head injury, your specialist may advise you to avoid contact sports.
Epilepsy advice and information
- What is epilepsy?
- Children
- Depression
- Disability Discrimination Act (UK)
- Driving
- Education
- Employment
- Epilepsy in later life
- Getting a diagnosis
- Health care and welfare benefits
- Inheritance
- Learning disabilities
- Me and my dad
- Memory
- Men and Epilepsy
- Mobile phones and epilepsy
- Osteoporosis, osteomalacia and epilepsy
- Photosensitive epilepsy
- Relationships and epilepsy
- Safety
- Seizures
- Sports and leisure
- Alcohol, recreational drugs and epilepsy
- Epilepsy at altitudes
- Beauty treatments
- The cinema
- Climbing
- Contact sports
- Cycling
- Extreme sports
- Fishing
- In the gym
- Hiking and rambling
- Jacuzzis, saunas and steam rooms
- Martial arts
- Night clubs
- Other sports
- Racquet sports
- Riding
- Scuba diving
- Skiing
- Swimming
- Theme parks
- Water Sports
- Yoga
- Stress and epilepsy
- Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)
- Syndromes
- Travel abroad
- Treatment
- Women and epilepsy
- Young people and epilepsy
- Epilepsy Action Information Reviewers (EAIRs)
- Technical editing/writing and copyright
Epilepsy Helpline
- UK freephone 0808 800 5050
- International +44 113 210 8850
- Email: helpline@epilepsy.org.uk
- Txt msg: 07797 805 390 info
Epilepsy Action blog
| More





