The Most Important Tape or Bandage for Each Sport

When we began selling tape for sport, it was only really Kinesiology Tape that people were looking for. Tape up your muscles and get going. That's not the case anymore. 

We sell a ton of different tapes, in a ton of different colours and a ton of different sizes for any and all sports around the world. And, from our experience, there's always one tape that each sport tends to use the most.

If you could only use one tape for each sport, these are the ones that we would choose...

Lots of different options to choose from here, but the tape that gets the most love in Rugby🏉, has to be a Tearable EAB. 

Some people could argue a Zinc Oxide Tan, but, if you factor into account that EAB, as well as for strapping applications, can be used for Lifting Blocks and head/ear taping, it becomes the standout for us and the first tape you need as a rugby physio.

• Strapping applications: knees, shoulders, elbows and ankles.
• Thumb taping.
• Wrist taping.
• Ear taping.
• Lifting Blocks.

It probably isn't one that you associate too much with injuries, but nevertheless, most footballers will be looking around the changing rooms before a game to see which teammate or physio they can grab a roll off⚽️.

Some people will know it as Sock Wrap and some will know it as Cohesive Bandage. Either way, it's the same thing. Completely self-adhesive, you'll usually see it holding up your favourite player's socks on the pitch. Because it comes in so many different colours, it's easy to match them with your team's socks. 

• Holding your socks/shin pads in place. 
• Wrist taping.
• Ankle support.
• Goalkeeper finger taping. 

A bit of a no brainer with this one. 

Really, it's the only tape that you could use in the pool. Why? Because it's waterproof. Provided that you apply it correctly, it should stay stuck for the full duration of one of your swims🏊🏼‍♀️. 

If you don't know, Kinesiology Tape is a stretchy, cotton tape used by athletes and physios all over the world to provide pain support and relief for muscles and tendons. Nowadays, it's probably the most-used tape across all of sport. 

• Shoulder strains.
• Calf taping.
• Lower back support. 

It's in the name. You've got to protect those thumbs. 

Naturally, when you're lifting in the gym, your skin's going to rub against the bar a lot🏋🏼‍♀️. That's when blisters can form, or at the very least, some pretty roughed up skin. Thumb Tape is the cure. 

Simply, wrap, rip and stick and it can protect your thumbs and your fingers and help you crush those PB's every single session. 

As well as also being used to help wrap elbow and ankle injuries, Zinc Oxide Tape's main use to boxers is hand wrapping🥊. Over the top of your Boxing Gauze, it's the best option for helping to create the ideal hand-wrap to go underneath your gloves. 

You'd typically need a 2.5cm width, but it's really down to whatever your cutman prefers. 

• Hand-wrapping.
• Strapping applications: elbows, ankles and knees. 

For all the grapplers out there, you'll know right away why this is our pick for Martial Arts🥋.

Correctly taping your fingers, particularly for BJJ, can be the difference between winning and losing. It's used to increase your grip strength and prevent injured fingers from moving in ways that you don't want them to.

Finger taping is typically done with a 1.25cm Zinc Oxide, either with the 'Buddy Technique' or the 'X Taping Technique'. Check out our guide on exactly how each is done. 

It's not overly surprising that we've returned to Kinesiology Tape. Athletics, and running in general, is pretty damn straining on your muscles and sometimes you need that extra support to help you get back to it🥇.

A lot of the time, it is going to be the lower half of your body that's going to need the support, but at least having it as an option is a win. 

• Calf strain.
• Taping your knee.
• Achilles/plantar taping.
• Shin-splints.

This was probably the most difficult sport to choose just one tape for. Even just narrowing which type of Zinc Oxide to choose. However, because of its rigidity, the Tan version is our top-pick. 

Gymnastics is such a high-impact sport that injuries are, unfortunately, very common🤸🏼‍♀️. If you're wondering what the difference between the White and the Tan tape, it's just the fabric that they're made from. The Tan's rayon fabric makes is 2x stronger than the White's cotton. 

• Ankle strapping. 
• Wrist taping.
• Finger taping. 

And that's it! If we could only use one tape for each sport, those would be our top choices. Of course, some people may be more used to using others, so if you feel like you would change any, get in touch! We'd love to hear from you. 

If you'd like to learn how to apply tape, check out our learn page for taping videos and tutorials.