Athletic tape has long been tool in sports of all kinds, particularly football. A typical football team will use 80 miles of athletic tape over the course of one season. The tape has many uses and a lot of athletes won't play without wearing it. It is typically applied to a muscle or joint to provide protection. It can be wrapped all around or applied in short segments to a focused area to minimize wrinkles in the tape that might cause blisters.
Blisters
Applying athletic tape directly to the feet and toes can help prevent blisters when running, hiking or playing a sport. The entire foot can be taped for particularly aggressive events, such as cross-country mountain hiking. Or you can just apply the tape to "hot spots" where blisters typically form, such as the heel, ball of the foot and the Achilles' tendon. It is important to apply the tape smoothly with no wrinkles, or the tape may cause the very symptom you are trying to prevent.
Reinforcement
Sports athletes often use athletic tape to reinforce muscles and joints that get particularly rigorous workouts during a practice or a game. Any part of the body can be taped if it is sensitive due to a prior injury. The rigid structure of the tape can help protect the area from further damage. Certain muscles or joints may be taped if they are used extensively in the sport, such as the shin in the game of soccer.
Peace of Mind
Many athletes are so accustomed to using athletic tape that, regardless of its physical benefits, they are more confident in their activities knowing it is there. There is scant official evidence that athletic tape actually protects bones and muscles from the damage of high-impact sports, such as football. Fred Zamberletti, a medical consultant for the Minnesota Vikings, says using athletic tape is now a ritual part of game preparation that goes beyond physical considerations. Players state that they might feel uncomfortable playing without it.
Logo Coverups
Sometimes, commercial obligations with a shoe sponsor require that athletes only advertise their support of that one particular brand. However, the choice of brand is personal to athletes and their preference may not coincide with official team sponsorship. Some basketball players are now using athletic tape to cover the logos and brand names on shoes made by their sponsor's competitors so they do not violate terms of the sponsorship.
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