Most people think about the body after a hit and forget the gear. The helmet, the mouthguard, the shin guards, the pads, and the shoes were all part of the moment. Each one can hold a clue about how hard you were hit, where you landed, and what happened next. Your examiner cannot see any of that unless you describe it.
This entry is educational only. It does not tell you what is wrong with you, and it is not a substitute for an exam. It is a checklist for the record you bring to the first visit.
Start with the helmet
If you wore a helmet, note whether it hit the ground, another player, a post, or a wall. Note whether the shell has a crack, a dent, a loose liner, or a scuff in one spot. If the helmet was replaced after the hit, write down the date and the reason. If you were not wearing a helmet, say so. A missing helmet is part of the record too, since the examiner may ask about head impact and the activity you were doing when it happened.
Check the pads and the mouthguard
Shoulder pads, knee pads, shin guards, and chest protectors can shift on impact. Write where each pad sat before the hit and where it ended up. Note any tear, a broken strap, or a pad that moved off its spot. A mouthguard that is cracked, or that shows a fresh mark on one side, is worth mentioning, along with which side of your mouth or jaw felt the force.
Look at your shoes and cleats
Footwear is often overlooked. If one cleat caught in the turf, the shoe may have twisted before your body did. Take a photo of the sole and the heel before you clean it. Note whether the laces were tied, whether they came loose, and whether the shoe felt different on one side than the other. If you were in running shoes, say how long you had been wearing them, if you know. If you do not know, write that you do not know.
Gear that was already part of the picture
A brace, a wrap, or a strap that was too tight or too loose before the activity belongs in the record. So does a brace you had been wearing for several days before the hit. Say what you wore and where it sat. If you had a brace on the day of the hit, note which side and which part of the joint it covered. Bring the brace itself to the visit if you still have it, so the examiner can see the fit.
What to do with the bag
Put the gear in a bag and keep it as it is for now. Do not repair it, scrub it hard, or throw it out until the visit is done. Take a few photos from several angles, with a coin or a ruler beside the item for scale if you have one. Date each photo on your phone or in your notes. Then write one line for each item: what it was, where it sat on your body, and what you saw when you first looked at it.
Bring that list to the first visit and read it aloud before the examiner starts asking questions. If you cannot remember a detail, say so instead of guessing. A clear note that says you are not sure is more useful than a confident guess that later turns out to be wrong. Keep the list short and factual, and add the time of the hit and the time you first noticed each symptom next to it.
When the gear and the body disagree
Gear damage does not decide whether you were hurt. A helmet with no visible damage can still be part of a head exam, and a cracked pad does not prove a fracture. Think of the gear as one more entry in the record, alongside the time, the place, the activity, and the symptoms you noticed.
If you have new pain, swelling, numbness, weakness, or any change that worries you, a clean-looking helmet or a pad with no marks is not a reason to wait. An exam can check what the equipment cannot show. Write the gear list, bring it along, and let the examiner decide what matters.