Jockstraps have been used to "support" men's parts dating back to the times of King Tut and the Egyptians. They are now state-of-the-art pieces of equipment paired with protective sports cups. This combination protects a man's genital area from trauma while he is playing a sport. While the use of a cup is not mandatory in all leagues, it is certainly recommended to prevent major injuries from occurring.
Fragility
Sports in which a ball or puck is constantly in motion pose a great risk to any unprotected body part. It's not uncommon for the ball or puck to bruise arms, legs or torsos. The male genitals are extremely fragile and can be easily damaged by blunt force. If an object hits a testicle hard enough, the testicle can rupture or tear. Without prompt treatment, this injury can lead to the loss of a testicle.
Design
A sports cup is designed in a curved "V" shape and varies in depth from 1 to 2 inches. You wear the cup with the skinny side facing down and resting against your perineum just below your testis. The fatter side of the cup should come up completely above your penis and rest against your skin. Most cups are hard plastic and can withstand a great deal of force without breaking or cracking.
Function
You have to hold the sports cup in place with a jockstrap or compression shorts. You can wear underwear under the cup for comfort and additional support, but it is not necessary. The cup compresses the genital area and holds the testis against the body. It protects your entire genital area in case of blunt force from an outside object.
Considerations
Just as people come in a variety of sizes, so do cups. Adults need larger cups than youth players. If necessary, you can special-order a size from your local sports equipment store. You need to be comfortable wearing your cup, especially since most sports require you to sprint on a regular basis. A cup should not get in the way or hinder your ability to run at full speed.
Warning
Wearing a cup does not guarantee that an impact to your genital area will not result in pain or injury. Even if you are wearing a sports cup, the jarring sensation when you are struck in that area can be painful enough to bring you to your knees. Repeated impacts can be painful enough to take you out of the game. If you begin to feel sharp pain in one testicle, see your doctor.
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