In the game of rugby, it’s more common than not to see most of the players on the pitch using either tape or braces for specific joints and body parts. Most of my teammates use one or the either, and the same goes for the majority of the other teams we play throughout the season.
I don’t normally wear protection during practices, unless we are engaging in contact. I prefer to use the heavy-duty armour for games as opposed to practices, because I personally don’t think it’s the best idea to constantly use support for an injury if it is an old one; if it’s always being supported, it likely won’t get much stronger on its own.
I wear two knee braces, an ankle brace and a rib wrap when I play games. The knee braces are for old rugby injuries, and also because Lyme has wreaked havoc on them; the ankle brace is for my foot that underwent reconstructive surgery a few years back; and the rib wrap is for my ongoing issue of popped and dislocated rib cartilage.
I’ve noticed that most of the gals on my team use tape as opposed to braces, and I asked my good friend what her preference is. She explained to me that in all the years she has been playing, she finds tape to feel more secure and stable around a joint, whereas she finds braces to be less protective because they have a little more give.
I’ve never used tape for my joints, and I prefer braces, personally. But, I do think it’s interesting how many of my teammates prefer tape over a brace, and I think the biggest takeaway from the debate would be what my good friend explained; tape is better in the sense it provides more restriction around a joint, whereas a brace is better in the sense it still provides extra support without being as restrictive of movement.
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