›› Athletic Tape
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.
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A Healthy Dose of Good Advice
