Violent. That would easily be the first word associated with the NFL. With the fundamentals of the game relying on sheer contact and roughhousing, the ruthless players on the field need the proper protection to ensure their injuries aren’t too severe.
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While the helmets and the shoulder pads do help in counteracting the force of the tackles, there is yet another additional protective gear that the players use which prevents any injuries to their hands or wrists.
Mike Ryan, NBC’s Sports Medicine Analyst, recently took to Instagram and spoke about the different variations of tape that players of different positions use according to their roles.
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He mentioned about the two types of tapes- the elastic one and the non-elastic one, each crucial in their respective situations:
“Athletic tape is really important for NFL players and there’s two types of tape. The elastic and the stretchy kind and then the tighter or stronger, non-elastic tape.”
Firstly, he spoke about the needs of a wide receiver who needs wrist support and recommended the elastic stretchy tape for them. Next, he mentioned the defensive backs and chose the non-elastic tape for them since they make a lot of tackles, thus deeming it suitable for them.
Thirdly, Ryan took up the defensive linemen and linebackers. He put the tape all over the hands to show that they needed good support as well as wrist motion for successful and safe sacks and tackles.
Athletic tape along with other protective measures have been put in place to make sure that the players don’t hit the green too quickly. With that, let’s take a look at the history of these types of tapes and how they’re an important part of the NFL today.
Athletic tape through the years and its prevalence in the present-day NFL
The protective tape that is used daily by NFL players is referred to as turf tape. Turf tape ends up acting as a protective layer of skin which prevents any scraping or deep cuts to their upper triceps to the wrists.
Interestingly enough, 14 NFL fields out of the 30 used turf tape for their games as of two years ago. Another tape that is essential for the players is the kinesiology tape which was developed by Dr. Kenzo Kase in the late 1970s.
This tape is used to lessen body pains and to tighten and gently lift the skin. Furthermore, this tape creates a micro-space between the skin and the tissues underneath, making it an essential protective layer for turbulent situations.
The sport of football is where it is today because of the violent action it promotes with each game. But that never means that the league has ever been lenient with its players’ safety.
