Athletic tape is utilized by many athletes to help support the joints most critical to performance in their sport. It is usually used by boxers to stiffen up their wrists, while soccer players may apply them to their knees. Weight-lifters will occasionally use athletic tape to prevent calluses from developing on their palms.

Most kinds 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 really quite mixed, however, no matter its widespread popularity. Numerous professional athletes of great standing seem to swear by it, for example Lance Armstrong and Serena Williams. But clinical studies have had a difficult time proving substantial advantages. Could the infamous placebo effect be operating in those cases of athlete endorsement?

Using 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 instantly 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 firmly 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 numerous 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.

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