Athletic tape can be a huge boon to athletes in any sport. Nearly all sports put athletes at a risk of injury, some more than others. Skiers walk away from the slopes with mangled knees and torn cartilage, football players suffer a host of injuries from torn ligaments to concussions, baseball players wrap shoulders in huge icepacks and tennis players suffer from, what else, tennis elbow. Athletic tape, along with elastic bandages like the “Ace” bandage, do an important service in allowing athletes to take some stress and weight off of these injuries while still performing in their respective sports. Though athletic tape, if used correctly, can do athletes a lot of good, it can also be dangerous. Serious injuries like muscle, ligament, or cartilage tears, should never be taped up and ignored. These injuries need a great deal of time and therapy to heal. Some athletes believe that with tape or cortisone shots they can patch up these injuries and get back in the game, but to do so risks serious and permanent injury. Chronic arthritis at age forty isn’t worth playing one more game in high school, college, or even professional sports.

So how can athletic tape help athletes? Not with serious, chronic injuries but with smaller injuries which won’t end an athletic career but may make it more uncomfortable for a time. Sore ankles, small cases of tendonitis, or minor strains or sprains can all be supported by appropriate wrappings with athletic tape. When taping an injury it’s important to give the injured area, be it an ankle, elbow, or limb, with enough tape to adequately support the area and take stress off the injury. Be sure to avoid wrapping the tape too tight, as this can cut down on circulation to the injured area and lengthen the amount of time the injury needs to heal. However, if the injury is wrapped correctly the athletic tape can shorten the amount of time needed to heal completely.

Athletic tape is also helpful in the prevention of injuries altogether. A proper wrapping of an ankle or a wrist can reduce the amount of stress felt in the joint and reduce the chances of injury. It can keep muscles and ligaments in line and shield them from large impacts or twists. Though athletic tape isn’t a cure-all, nor is it a magic bullet for sports injuries, it can help athletes with a great deal of small injuries, aches, and pains.