The Benefite Of Athletic Tape
Athletic tape is used by many athletes to help support the joints most critical to performance in their sport. It is often used by boxers to stiffen up their wrists, while soccer players may apply them to their knees. Weight-lifters will sometimes use athletic tape to prevent calluses from developing on their palms.
Many varieties of tape are made from cotton, with an adhesive on one side to help with binding. It was first invented by a Japanese chiropractor for therapeutic uses but is now sometimes applied in the belief that the assistance it lends will help even in the absence of injury.
The evidence on athletic tape is actually quite mixed, however, no matter its widespread popularity. Many professional athletes of excellent standing seem to swear by it, for instance Lance Armstrong and Serena Williams. But clinical studies have had a difficult time proving substantial benefits. Could the infamous placebo effect be operating in those cases of athlete endorsement?
Utilizing tape does seem like a logical thing to do. After all, how many of us have discovered on our own how good it feels to rub a pain and even grasp it tightly? Think back to the last time you accidentally bumped your wrist – hard – against something like a doorknob. Didn’t you immediately grab that wrist and, after initially massaging it a little, hold tightly for dear life?
Compression is a recognized method of protecting against or controlling swelling, and tightly binding with tape seems to conform with that understanding of how our bodies work. And perhaps therein lies its lasting appeal. It just makes so much sense! Using tape feels good, and for many athletes that’s enough. As long as it’s not in the way or be otherwise a hindrance, the psychological pleasure of compression is good enough for most people.