Hockey is a fast moving sport with plenty of inter player contact. It places a significant amount of stress on players’ knees and ankles. If a player starts a game with unprotected knees or ankles that may have been previously injured, there is a greater chance of re-injury. To avoid this, players should tape their knees and ankles to provide reinforcement. For highly contoured areas like these, the player may find that an elastic adhesive tape conforms better to the joint and therefore provides less support. If taping less contoured areas like the shoulder, a non elastic adhesive may be preferable. Either way, using an adhesive tape for hockey should be a serious consideration. It can be an effective way to prevent injuries like high ankle sprains that hockey players experience from time to time.

Unlike wearing a brace for support, using an adhesive tape  for hockey games offers a low profile solution that will fit under clothes and inside footwear. It will not interfere with the player’s mobility or range of motion. An increasing number of adhesive tapes are hypoallergenic. Where possible, hockey players should choose these products to ensure long lasting comfort while wearing adhesive tape.

Other Remedies

In addition to wearing adhesive tape to support weak or unstable joints, hockey players should work to strengthen these vulnerable joints through a series of prescribed exercises. Adhesive taping for hockey games should be regarded only as a temporary solution to the problem of weak or injury prone joints. A sports physiotherapist can help to design a program that you can follow over time to gradually strengthen your knees and ankles. Doing so will help them to withstand the stresses that are a part of hockey and allow to to spend more time in the game.