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For athletes participating in contact sports, comprehensive protective gear is essential to minimize the risk of injuries. Helmets and pads provide critical protection for various body areas vulnerable to impact. Helmets are designed to protect the head and brain from trauma, while pads (such as shoulder pads, knee pads, and hip pads) cushion the body during collisions and falls.

In contact sports, where athletes frequently engage in high-impact situations, relying on just one piece of equipment—like helmets or mouthguards—would leave other body areas unprotected. Mouthguards primarily protect teeth and can help reduce the risk of concussions by providing cushioning, but they do not safeguard the body against impacts in the same way that helmets and pads do. Similarly, while knee braces can offer support and stability to the knee joint, they do not provide the overall level of protection that helmets and pads do.

Thus, the combination of helmets and pads addresses a wider range of potential injuries that can occur in contact sports, making it the recommended choice for athletes.