Skip to content
RITG Logo
All
  • Shop
  • Track Your Order
  • Compare
  • Wishlist
Account
Shopping Cart 0
  • Shop By ActivityExpand
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Gardening
    • Hockey
    • Lacrosse
    • Soccer
  • Shop By BrandExpand
    • 18 Paths
    • 360 Athletics
    • 3M
    • Alliance
    • Almedic
    • Andover
    • Axelgaard
    • Bare Medical
    • Baxter
    • BioSkin®
    • BioFreeze
    • Body Sport
    • BSN Medical
    • Cando
    • Chattanooga
    • Covidien™ (formerly Kendall™)
    • Cramer® Sports Medicine
    • Darco
    • DryPro®
    • DynaPro Health
    • Glustitch
    • HealthSmart
    • InfraCare
    • InnoTech
    • Its You Babe™
    • Kego
    • Kinesio®
    • Legend® Compression Wear
    • Lernapharm
    • LP® Support
    • McArthur Medical Sales
    • McDavid®
    • Mueller® Sports Medicine
    • ProBand®
    • Quality Elastics
    • Relief Pak
    • Renfrew Athletics
    • Resist-A-Band™
    • SAM Medical
    • Shock Doctor®
    • Synergy Medical Supply
  • Shop By InjuryExpand
    • Knee InjuriesExpand
      • Knee Pain
      • Chondromalacia
      • Bottom Of Heel Pain
      • Achilles Heel Pain
      • Side Of Heel Pain
      • Cracking Sound In Knee
      • IT Band Syndrome
      • Knee Arthritis
      • Knee Bursitis
      • Knee Joint Instability
      • Sprained Knee
      • Knee Swelling
      • Knee Tendonitis
      • Pain Above Kneecap
      • LCL Tear
      • MCL Tear
      • Meniscus Tear
      • Osgood Schlatter Disease
      • Patellar Subluxation
      • Patellar Tendinitis
      • Runners Knee
      • Sore Inside Knee
    • Foot/Ankle InjuriesExpand
      • Achilles Tendonitis
      • Ankle Arthritis
      • Ankle Bursitis
      • Back Of Ankle Pain
      • Fractured Ankle
      • Ankle Instability
      • Inner Ankle Pain
      • Sprained Ankle
      • Lateral Knee Pain
      • SI Joint Pain
      • Tennis Elbow Pain
      • Plantar Fasciitis
      • Chronic Back Pain
      • Sharp Lower Back Pain
    • Shoulder InjuriesExpand
      • Arm Pain
      • Pain In Heel Of Foot
      • Osteoarthritis
      • Rotator Cuff Injury
      • Shoulder Arthritis
      • Shoulder Bursitis
      • Shoulder Instability
      • Shoulder Pain
      • Dislocated Shoulder
      • Shoulder Tendonitis
    • Leg InjuriesExpand
      • Lower Leg Pain
      • Calf Sprains
      • Calf Strain
      • Hamstring Strain
      • Quad Contusion
      • Quadriceps Strain
      • Tennis Leg
      • Thigh Strain
      • Varicose Veins
    • Back InjuriesExpand
      • Abdominal Strain
      • Abdominoplasty
      • Back Pain
      • Lower Back Strain
      • Degenerative Disc Disease
      • Herniated Disc
      • Spinal Stenosis
      • Lower Back Pain
      • Lumbago
      • Pain Below Kneecap
      • Sore Knees
      • Poor Posture
      • Sciatica
      • Spondylolisthesis
    • Elbow InjuriesExpand
      • Arthritis In Elbow
      • Elbow Strain
      • Elbow Tendonitis
      • Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
      • Olecranon Bursitis
      • Tennis Elbow
    • Hip/Groin InjuriesExpand
      • Pain In Front Of Knee
      • Hip Arthritis
      • Hip Flexor Strain
      • Ulnar Wrist Pain
      • Hip Pain
      • Crunching Sound In Knee
      • Hip Strain
      • Cracking Sound In Knee
      • Fluid On The Knee
    • Wrist/Thumb InjuriesExpand
      • Pain In Back Of Heel
      • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
      • Colles Fracture
      • De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
      • Gamekeeper’s Thumb
      • Arthritis In Wrist
      • Sprained Wrist
      • Wrist Tendonitis
    • Other InjuriesExpand
      • Arthritis In Neck
      • Bunionectomy
      • Bunion
      • Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
      • Diabetes
      • Joint Pain
      • Hallux Valgus
      • Pain Under Kneecap
      • High Ankle Sprain
      • Repetitive Stress Injury
      • Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis
      • Patellofemoral Syndrome
      • PCL Injury
      • Raynauds
      • Rib Fracture
  • Shop By Body PartExpand
    • KneeExpand
      • Knee Braces & Supports
      • Knee Pad
    • Foot/AnkleExpand
      • Foot & Ankle Braces
      • Foot Care
    • Chest/BackExpand
      • Back Brace
      • Rib Support
    • Hand/Wrist/ThumbExpand
      • Compression Glove
      • Wrist Braces & Supports
      • Hand Care
    • ShoulderExpand
      • Arm & Shoulder Supports
      • Arm Compression Sleeve
      • Compression Top
    • ElbowExpand
      • Elbow Braces & Supports
      • Elbow Pad
      • Elbow Compression Sleeve
    • Hip/GroinExpand
      • Compression Shorts
      • Groin Protection
      • Hip/Groin Support
      • Maternity Belt
    • Calf/ThighExpand
      • Calf/Thigh Compression Sleeve
      • Calf/Thigh/Shin Support
      • Compression Tight
      • Compression Sock / Stocking
      • Shin Pad
    • AllExpand
      • Cohesive Athletic Tape
      • Elastic Adhesive Tape
      • K Tape
      • Other Padding & Protection
      • Hot & Cold Packs
      • Moist Heat Pack
      • Analgesic
      • Paraffin Bath
      • PreWrap
      • Tensor Bandage
      • Wrap
      • Electrical Muscle Stimulation
      • NMES & IFC
      • UltraSound
      • Combination Unit
      • Electrode
  • Shop By TherapyExpand
    • Orthopedic Bracing & SupportExpand
      • Arm & Shoulder Supports
      • Back Brace
      • Elbow Braces & Supports
      • Foot & Ankle Braces
      • Knee Braces & Supports
      • Maternity Belt
      • Rib Support
      • Wrist Braces & Supports
    • Taping, Wrapping & PaddingExpand
      • Athletic TapeExpand
        • Elastic Adhesive Tape
      • Cohesive Athletic Tape
      • K Tape
      • Padding & ProtectionExpand
        • Elbow Pad
        • Knee Pad
        • Shin Pad
        • Groin Protection
        • Other Padding & Protection
      • PreWrap
      • Athletic Taping Accessory
      • Tensor Bandage
      • Wrap
    • Compression WearExpand
      • Compression Glove
      • Compression Sock / Stocking
      • Compression Shorts
      • Compression SleeveExpand
        • Arm Compression Sleeve
        • Calf/Thigh Compression Sleeve
        • Elbow Compression Sleeve
      • Compression Tight
      • Compression Top
    • ElectrotherapyExpand
      • Combination Unit
      • Electrical Muscle Stimulation
      • UltraSound
      • Electrode
    • Hot & Cold TherapyExpand
      • Hot & Cold Packs
      • Moist Heat Pack
      • Paraffin Bath
    • Analgesic
    • Exercise RehabilitationExpand
      • Balance Board & Pad
      • Exercise Putty
      • Fitness Ball
      • Fitness Equipment
      • Foam Roller
      • Hand Extension
      • Hand Flexion
      • Inflatable Ball & Roll
      • Inflatable Core Training
      • Mat
      • Pedal Exerciser
      • Range Of Motion
      • Resistance Band
      • Resistance Tubing
      • Roll & Wedge
      • Stretching
      • Weight
  • Knowledge CenterExpand
    • Exercising & Injury Prevention
    • Injury Treatment
  • Store Directory
RITG Logo
Account

Home » Taping, Wrapping & Padding » Athletic Tape

Athletic Tape

Varsity Athlete's foot with an ankle tape job for support hanging off a table in a medical clinic

Athletic tape comes in two categories. There are elastic and non elastic tapes, both of which have adhesive backings to help them to adhere directly to your skin or to other materials like pre wrap. You apply both tapes either directly to the skin or over pre-wrap with the aim of maintaining a stable relative position of bones and muscles, especially during sports activity. There are also other, less common applications of athletic tape, which we will describe below.

Comparison With Orthopedic Bracing

If the objective of “maintaining a stable relative position of bones and muscles” sounds similar to the reason for wearing an orthopedic brace, this is no coincidence. In many ways, athletic taping is a substitute for wearing an orthopedic brace.

However, athletic tape has the advantage of being lower profile than most or all orthopedic braces. You can therefore easily wear it inside athletic shoes or under clothing. If you apply it with the necessary expertise, a tape job will pose less interference with joint range of motion while providing the necessary joint support to prevent or treat an injury.

Another advantage that is sometimes cited for athletic tape is its greater ability to enhance the athlete’s sense of proprioception. Broadly, this term refers to the ability to instinctively sense unusual or dangerous positions of joints and other body parts, and to correct them in time to avoid injury.

Athletic tape does require some expertise for its proper application while orthopedic braces are generally much easier to apply. In addition, you can remove an orthopedic brace at the end of the day and put back on the next day with no loss of performance. That is not possible with an athletic tape job, which has to be re-applied from scratch the next time support is needed. As a result, orthopedic braces represent a more cost effective solution over the long term.

Types Of Athletic Tape

Non Elastic tape

The most common color of non elastic athletic tape is white and it is usually sold in widths of ½ inch,1 inch, 1½  inches, 2 inches and 3 inches. The most common lengths are 10 and 15 yards.

Non elastic athletic tape is capable of providing higher levels of support than elastic tape. However, because it does not possess elastic properties, it can be difficult to get non-elastic tape to closely conform to highly contoured areas of the body.

Non elastic athletic tapes are usually made from cotton and/or polyester and possess a zinc oxide adhesive mass backing. There is a special sub category of these tapes commonly known as rigid athletic tapes. They use a rayon covering for extra tensile strength and also use stronger adhesive mass backing in order to provide higher levels of support to joints and muscles.

Elastic Tape

Elastic tape is sometimes alternatively referred to as stretch tape and comes in both lightweight and heavyweight designs. The standard widths are 1,2,3, and 4 inches and the standard length is 5 yards. The most common colors are white and tan.

The elasticity of this tape allows you to apply it to highly contoured body areas with relatively little loss of support when compared to a non elastic athletic tape.

Construction of elastic tape is from cotton and, like non adhesive tape, it has an adhesive backing.

The difference between the lightweight and heavyweight designs of elastic tape lies in their tensile strength and level of support. Heavyweight designs are generally thicker and provide higher levels of tensile strength and support. In fact, many heavyweight designs require the use of special taping scissors to cut the tape to the size you need.

What Makes A Good Athletic Tape?

Probably the primary consideration in evaluating the quality of an athletic tape is the number of longitudinal and vertical fibers per inch in the backing of the tape. The higher quality tapes have 85 or more longitudinal fibers and 65 or more vertical fibers per square inch. Lower quality tapes tend to have 65 or fewer longitudinal fibers and 45 or fewer vertical fibers.

Another important factor is the amount and durability of its adhesive backing. This directly affects the ability of the athletic tape to continue providing the necessary degree of joint stabilization and support through the challenging conditions it may encounter on the playing field.

As a result, the adhesive has to be capable of withstanding moisture and perspiration without losing its support. It also has to be able to withstand the vigorous (and sometimes even violent or powerful) body movements of the athlete during the game or training session. At the end of the session, the athletic tape also has to be capable of easy and relatively pain free removal.

Roll tension is a third important factor that contributes to the quality of an athletic tape. This refers to how the tape comes off the roll. It should be capable of removal with a fluid and easy tension.

Experienced trainers can listen to the sound of the tape as they remove it from the roll and judge the uniformity of roll tension from the sound. If the frequency fluctuates as the tape comes off the roll, that is generally an indication of non-uniform roll tension.

Applications Of Athletic Tape

You can apply athletic tape to various parts of the body to:

  • Provide joint support and restrict range of motion in order to prevent injuries (especially during athletic activity). This includes both traumatic (e.g. knee sprains) as well as overuse (e.g. tennis elbow) injuries;
  • Provide joint support and reduce range of motion as a component of the treatment and rehabilitation of pre-existing injuries;
  • Secure elastic wraps during the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries
  • Attach protective padding to the body to cushion sensitive body areas against shocks due to external blows;
  • Fix wound dressings to the body.

Usage Precautions

For best results, we suggest following these precautions when using athletic tape:

  • Make sure the skin of the patient is clean and dry before application. There should be no body oils or lotions present, as these may compromise the effectiveness of the adhesive;
  • Remove any body hair in the region to which you intend to apply the tape;
  • When applying a non elastic tape,position the joint in the range of motion in which you plan to stabilize it. This does not apply when using elastic tape because the elastic nature of the tape will allow the position of the joint to vary.
  • Athletic Taping Accessory

    Athletic Taping Accessory (11)

  • Cohesive Athletic Tape

    Cohesive Athletic Tape (6)

  • Elastic Adhesive Tape

    Elastic Adhesive Tape (8)

  • K Tape

    K Tape (8)

  • Other Adhesive Tape

    Other Adhesive Tape (2)

  • Zinc Oxide Tape

    Zinc Oxide Tape (11)

Location & Hours

RemainInTheGame.ca
5285 Tomken Road, Unit 1
Mississauga, ON L4W 3N8
Canada

Tel: (905) 625-5226
Fax: (905) 625-7767

Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday
9:00AM - 5:00PM

Customer Support

  • Shipment Tracking
  • Account Registration
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
  • Payment Terms
  • Free Ground Shipping
  • Return Policy
  • Request Return Authorization Number
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Store Directory

Featured Content

  • Sports Injuries & Sports Medicine Therapy Products
  • 5 Foods To Help Injury Recovery
  • Lower Back Pain – Causes & Suggested Treatments
  • How To Treat Plantar Fasciitis
  • 5 Ways To Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Concussion Injuries & How To Recover from Them
  • 6 Ways To Keep Fit While Staying Home

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

© 2023 Remain in the Game. All Rights Reserved

DISCLAIMER:
*Please note that although 1118210 Ontario Inc., the operator of RemainintheGame.ca, distributes many premier brands in Sports Medicine and Home Health Care, it does not provide medical advice. As a result, we caution all users of this site not to regard its contents as medical, legal or other professional advice. Please do not attempt to use the information on this site to understand or treat any health or fitness problem or disease you may be experiencing. Instead, please seek the advice and assistance of a healthcare professional in order to understand the treatments or therapies that are appropriate for your particular condition.

  • CAD C$
    CAD
  • USD US$
    change the rate and this description to the right values
Join Waitlist We will inform you when the product arrives in stock. Please leave your valid email address below.
Scroll to top
[]
  • Shop By Activity
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Gardening
    • Hockey
    • Lacrosse
    • Soccer
  • Shop By Brand
    • 18 Paths
    • 360 Athletics
    • 3M
    • Alliance
    • Almedic
    • Andover
    • Axelgaard
    • Bare Medical
    • Baxter
    • BioSkin®
    • BioFreeze
    • Body Sport
    • BSN Medical
    • Cando
    • Chattanooga
    • Covidien™ (formerly Kendall™)
    • Cramer® Sports Medicine
    • Darco
    • DryPro®
    • DynaPro Health
    • Glustitch
    • HealthSmart
    • InfraCare
    • InnoTech
    • Its You Babe™
    • Kego
    • Kinesio®
    • Legend® Compression Wear
    • Lernapharm
    • LP® Support
    • McArthur Medical Sales
    • McDavid®
    • Mueller® Sports Medicine
    • ProBand®
    • Quality Elastics
    • Relief Pak
    • Renfrew Athletics
    • Resist-A-Band™
    • SAM Medical
    • Shock Doctor®
    • Synergy Medical Supply
  • Shop By Injury
    • Knee Injuries
      • Knee Pain
      • Chondromalacia
      • Bottom Of Heel Pain
      • Achilles Heel Pain
      • Side Of Heel Pain
      • Cracking Sound In Knee
      • IT Band Syndrome
      • Knee Arthritis
      • Knee Bursitis
      • Knee Joint Instability
      • Sprained Knee
      • Knee Swelling
      • Knee Tendonitis
      • Pain Above Kneecap
      • LCL Tear
      • MCL Tear
      • Meniscus Tear
      • Osgood Schlatter Disease
      • Patellar Subluxation
      • Patellar Tendinitis
      • Runners Knee
      • Sore Inside Knee
    • Foot/Ankle Injuries
      • Achilles Tendonitis
      • Ankle Arthritis
      • Ankle Bursitis
      • Back Of Ankle Pain
      • Fractured Ankle
      • Ankle Instability
      • Inner Ankle Pain
      • Sprained Ankle
      • Lateral Knee Pain
      • SI Joint Pain
      • Tennis Elbow Pain
      • Plantar Fasciitis
      • Chronic Back Pain
      • Sharp Lower Back Pain
    • Shoulder Injuries
      • Arm Pain
      • Pain In Heel Of Foot
      • Osteoarthritis
      • Rotator Cuff Injury
      • Shoulder Arthritis
      • Shoulder Bursitis
      • Shoulder Instability
      • Shoulder Pain
      • Dislocated Shoulder
      • Shoulder Tendonitis
    • Leg Injuries
      • Lower Leg Pain
      • Calf Sprains
      • Calf Strain
      • Hamstring Strain
      • Quad Contusion
      • Quadriceps Strain
      • Tennis Leg
      • Thigh Strain
      • Varicose Veins
    • Back Injuries
      • Abdominal Strain
      • Abdominoplasty
      • Back Pain
      • Lower Back Strain
      • Degenerative Disc Disease
      • Herniated Disc
      • Spinal Stenosis
      • Lower Back Pain
      • Lumbago
      • Pain Below Kneecap
      • Sore Knees
      • Poor Posture
      • Sciatica
      • Spondylolisthesis
    • Elbow Injuries
      • Arthritis In Elbow
      • Elbow Strain
      • Elbow Tendonitis
      • Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
      • Olecranon Bursitis
      • Tennis Elbow
    • Hip/Groin Injuries
      • Pain In Front Of Knee
      • Hip Arthritis
      • Hip Flexor Strain
      • Ulnar Wrist Pain
      • Hip Pain
      • Crunching Sound In Knee
      • Hip Strain
      • Cracking Sound In Knee
      • Fluid On The Knee
    • Wrist/Thumb Injuries
      • Pain In Back Of Heel
      • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
      • Colles Fracture
      • De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
      • Gamekeeper’s Thumb
      • Arthritis In Wrist
      • Sprained Wrist
      • Wrist Tendonitis
    • Other Injuries
      • Arthritis In Neck
      • Bunionectomy
      • Bunion
      • Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
      • Diabetes
      • Joint Pain
      • Hallux Valgus
      • Pain Under Kneecap
      • High Ankle Sprain
      • Repetitive Stress Injury
      • Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis
      • Patellofemoral Syndrome
      • PCL Injury
      • Raynauds
      • Rib Fracture
  • Shop By Body Part
    • Knee
      • Knee Braces & Supports
      • Knee Pad
    • Foot/Ankle
      • Foot & Ankle Braces
      • Foot Care
    • Chest/Back
      • Back Brace
      • Rib Support
    • Hand/Wrist/Thumb
      • Compression Glove
      • Wrist Braces & Supports
      • Hand Care
    • Shoulder
      • Arm & Shoulder Supports
      • Arm Compression Sleeve
      • Compression Top
    • Elbow
      • Elbow Braces & Supports
      • Elbow Pad
      • Elbow Compression Sleeve
    • Hip/Groin
      • Compression Shorts
      • Groin Protection
      • Hip/Groin Support
      • Maternity Belt
    • Calf/Thigh
      • Calf/Thigh Compression Sleeve
      • Calf/Thigh/Shin Support
      • Compression Tight
      • Compression Sock / Stocking
      • Shin Pad
    • All
      • Cohesive Athletic Tape
      • Elastic Adhesive Tape
      • K Tape
      • Other Padding & Protection
      • Hot & Cold Packs
      • Moist Heat Pack
      • Analgesic
      • Paraffin Bath
      • PreWrap
      • Tensor Bandage
      • Wrap
      • Electrical Muscle Stimulation
      • NMES & IFC
      • UltraSound
      • Combination Unit
      • Electrode
  • Shop By Therapy
    • Orthopedic Bracing & Support
      • Arm & Shoulder Supports
      • Back Brace
      • Elbow Braces & Supports
      • Foot & Ankle Braces
      • Knee Braces & Supports
      • Maternity Belt
      • Rib Support
      • Wrist Braces & Supports
    • Taping, Wrapping & Padding
      • Athletic Tape
        • Elastic Adhesive Tape
      • Cohesive Athletic Tape
      • K Tape
      • Padding & Protection
        • Elbow Pad
        • Knee Pad
        • Shin Pad
        • Groin Protection
        • Other Padding & Protection
      • PreWrap
      • Athletic Taping Accessory
      • Tensor Bandage
      • Wrap
    • Compression Wear
      • Compression Glove
      • Compression Sock / Stocking
      • Compression Shorts
      • Compression Sleeve
        • Arm Compression Sleeve
        • Calf/Thigh Compression Sleeve
        • Elbow Compression Sleeve
      • Compression Tight
      • Compression Top
    • Electrotherapy
      • Combination Unit
      • Electrical Muscle Stimulation
      • UltraSound
      • Electrode
    • Hot & Cold Therapy
      • Hot & Cold Packs
      • Moist Heat Pack
      • Paraffin Bath
    • Analgesic
    • Exercise Rehabilitation
      • Balance Board & Pad
      • Exercise Putty
      • Fitness Ball
      • Fitness Equipment
      • Foam Roller
      • Hand Extension
      • Hand Flexion
      • Inflatable Ball & Roll
      • Inflatable Core Training
      • Mat
      • Pedal Exerciser
      • Range Of Motion
      • Resistance Band
      • Resistance Tubing
      • Roll & Wedge
      • Stretching
      • Weight
  • Knowledge Center
    • Exercising & Injury Prevention
    • Injury Treatment
  • Store Directory