Why Do Football Players Wear Tape on Their Arms?

Have you noticed that some football players routinely wear tape on the back of their arms? Perhaps this practice has made you wonder if wearing the tape on their arms gives the football players a special advantage or if it is just for show.

Truth is, the white tape worn by Football players on the back of their arms is not merely for fashion. It is meant to prevent abrasions and burns caused by the field turf.

In addition to the above reason, we shall cover more facts about why football players wear tape in this article.

What Type Of Tape Is Used By Football Players?

Football players do not just wear the regular type of tape. Of course, the tape used on the pitch is specially designed for the players and it’s called the Kinesiology tapes or Turf tapes.

The Kinesiology tapes are a type of arm tape that consists of adhesive and mesh, which gives it a firm grip on the arm. You can purchase it in stores or from online platforms like Amazon.

Interestingly, the arm Tape is available from a variety of manufacturers, including Nike, Kinesio Tape, and HARUTO. The tape is worn from the wrist to the back of the tricep in the same way you would apply a band-aid.

The adhesive on the tape sticks directly to the player’s arm and may last the entire game.

Why Do Football Players Wear Turf Tape?

As earlier stated, one of the major reasons why Amateur and NFL players wear turf tape is to protect their arms from scrapes and cuts when hitting the ground.

Due to innovation, football fields are now made of turf instead of grass. This is because turfs are synthetic and easier to maintain. Nonetheless, using such synthetic material exposes football players to getting scrapes and cuts while during the match.

When a player hits the turf at high speed with any part of his skin, he may sustain a Turf burn. The Turf Burn is a scrape on the skin that gives a sensation as though the skin is burnt.

This can be painful and may even get infected by bacterial if left untreated. Hence, to prevent such injury, football players wear turf tape to prevent their arms from sustaining turf burn. Below is a picture of how serious a turf burn can be.

Players can also prevent turf burn by wearing long spandex under their pants or using a long-sleeve jersey. However, they find such dressing inconvenient, especially when playing in hot weather.

This is where the turf comes in handy. Thanks to it, the rate of injury on the arm (especially the elbow) is reduced to the barest minimum.

The turf tape does not only prevent turf burns, but it also prevents sweats and bacterial from infecting an injury. Hence, a player would likely apply a turf tape over the surface of his injury to cover it up till the end of the game.

Other Reasons Why Football Players Wear Tapes On Their Arms:

1. To Look Cool:

NFL players enjoy customizing their outfits while on the field. Just like how baseball players’ tinted visors or chains give them a distinct look, the turf tape also gives NFL players a unique appearance.

Hence, you may find your favourite player looking pretty cool with a strap of turf tape at the back of his arms.

2. Makes Them Stand Out From The Crowd:

While the appearance of taping up your arms may be appealing, most American Football players do not wear the tape.

Hence, some of the athletes take advantage of this opportunity to stand out on the pitch. Hence, it will be easier to identify a player with turf tape on his arms among many players without a tape.

Can Players Wear Long-Sleeves Instead of Turf Tape?

Yes, football players may choose to wear sleeves instead of arm tape on their arms. However, they may be inconvenient with the long-sleeves when playing in hot weather.

In a nutshell, there is no restriction to a player’s choice of either dressing in sleeves or using turf tape. The decision all boils down to the dressing that gives him comfortability in the game.

What Positions Wear Football Tape On The Back Of Their Arms?

Any football position can wear turf tape on the back of their arms. You will often see players in high-impact positions such as linebackers, running backs, and wide receivers wear a turf tape.

QBs sometimes prefer to wear long-sleeves instead of turf tape because the motion of throwing the ball may peel off the tape during the game. Notwithstanding, they also wear turf tape at the back of their hands on some occasions.

EndNote:

Finally, football players tape their arms for two reasons: to reduce turf burn and to appear cool. Combining the two can be a win-win situation for the athletes, as it allows you to feel safe while also looking fashionable.

Watch out to see whether any other players are wearing this material on their arms during your next football game. Thanks for sticking to the end of our article on the Reasons Why Football Players Wears Tape on Their Arms.