When it comes to basketball and sport in general, players would do virtually anything in order to gain an edge over their opponents during competitions. So it comes as no surprise that after hearing rumors about wearing tights could boost oneâs performance, professional basketballers quickly pick up the garment. As with any trend nowadays, compression garments hit our life with claims that they could help stimulate blood circulation, shorten recovery time and so on. But in the end, why do basketball players wear tights in addition to their shorts?
Unable to comprehend the immense popularity of the practice of wearing tights under basketball shorts? If that happens to be the case, this article got some interesting information for you. Down below, you would be provided with everything you must keep in mind about compression garments from composition to benefits. Once you grasp the characteristics of tights, you should be able to tackle the question of “why do basketball player wear tights” with relative ease. A shopping guide is also presented if you want to get a pair as well.
Compression Garments: What Are They
What do basketball players wear on their legs? There are lots of names but the umbrella term is compression garments.
To put it plainly, clothes would be classified as compression garments if they utilize spandex-type fibers that tightly wrap around your figure (skin-tight). Compared to conventional clothes, compression garments such as tights excels at supporting functions of the body when it comes to activities that require physical strength. Depending on the nature of sports, athletes shall wear compression garments optimized for different purposes. In recent year, multiple players in the NBA often consider the tights to be indispensable while playing on the court.
Top 5 Benefits Of Compression Garments
Why do basketball players wear tights? Why do basketball players wear leg sleeves? Well, people purchase such clothing because they believe that compression garments could improve their chance of winning. However, the average garments out there could not magically lead to a surge in skill. If you fail to keep up with the training, compression garments could not help you secure victories on their own. As a result, itâs naïve to treat the clothing as match-winning accessories. Nonetheless, most compression garments still deliver a couple of benefits.
- Remediate Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Virtually every athlete on the planet knows about Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (also known as DOMS) and what it causes. Overall, the so-called muscle fever occurs roughly 2 days after physical-demanding activities which generate a great deal of discomfort. A variety of factors influent DOMS: genetic, sleep, biological stress,… Although massage, ibuprofen and so on should take care of the soreness, wearing tights could remediate muscle fever in the first place by decreasing muscle oscillation that leads to DOMS.
- Keep The Muscle Generally Stabilized
Since tights firmly wrap around the skin, they are capable of reducing vibration throughout the muscles which keep everything stabilized. As the muscles get tighter and tighter as the game progress, the tights play an important role in extending the advantage of pre-game stretching. In heated games that involve overtimes, being able to play with stabilized muscles could give you leeway while facing weary players in the opposing team. As the tightness of compression garments decide their stabilizing effect, itâs important to steer clear of loose-fitting models.
- Reduce Skin Injuries (Scratches, Grazes,…)
Basketballers have to resort to extreme maneuvers from time to time on the court so skin injuries could always happen. Not to mention hard-edge objects in the vicinity, sliding on the hardwood floor would give you nasty burns already. But if you wear a tight, parts of your skin would never come into direct contact with foreign surfaces which decreases the risk of injury. In the case you want protection again trauma too, there are a lot of compression garments that incorporates padding available for purchase on the market.
- Facilitate The Body Blood Flows
In basketball, you need to put your limbs to work constantly so itâs essential that your heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to these regions. With the tight on, you could facilitate the delivery of blood to vital organs that let you run around as you see fit while playing. Furthermore, increases in blood flow stimulate the growth of healthy cell so you should see noticeable improvements in your health. For players that experience injuries and need to sit out, itâs a good idea to wear tights so as the recovery could conclude faster.
- Help To Preserve Body Temperature
Basketball players often enter bursts of activities all of the sudden which tend to apply heavy pressure on the muscles. Obviously, at those moments, the body would have to release sweat to cool itself down and with the tight, the evaporation shall take place quickly. If you permit sweat to accumulate on your skin, the temperature drops and there is a chance that muscle injuries might occur in the aftermath. That is why if you want to keep your muscles warm, wearing tights would be a wise course of action.
Frequently Asked Question About The Practice Of Wearing Compression Garment
- Are players in the NBA wear tight because they appreciate the benefits of the clothing?
When it comes to the question of “why do basketball players wear leggings”, different players would likely have different motives. While the majority of professional basketballers wear compression garments in order to take advantage of their benefits, others put on tights due to image issues. In layman term, there are certain basketball players that don leggings just to look cool.
- What are the leggings basketball players wear on the court?
In the NBA, players utilize dozens types of compression garments from various brands with popular choices include McDavid Hexpad, Copper,… The prices for such tights range around a few hundred dollars but unless you have specific needs, you donât have to push your wallet. There are affordable alternatives if you are willing to look.
- I run into “copper-infused” garments. Should I buy one?
A couple of years back, Tommie Copper decided to introduce garments that incorporate copper and advertised that those models reduce inflammation and relieve muscle pain. That being said, it only takes a bit of time for people to debunk the myth behind “copper-infused” garments. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission even pressed charge against the manufacturer for deceptive advertising. So if you pass by tights that claim to utilize copper in their composition, donât bother picking one up.
Shopping For Compression Garments: Instructions
- Pay Attention To The Dimension
While picking tights, you have to thoroughly check out the size of the products before bringing them to the counter. You want the garments to be tight enough to deliver sufficient compression but not to the point that restricts your body movements while moving around. For most of the time, itâs widely advised that you stick to the size you know for certain that would suit you without fail. In the case that the tight manufacturer recommends specific sizes for different builds, you should consider following their numbers first.
- Inspect And Exam The Fabric
Fabrics used by tights employ a mix of polyester and elastane at a ratio of 9:1. Generally speaking, the more elastane the fabrics use, the stretchier they get while being used. In addition to the composition, you should also glance at the thickness of the fabric. Thin materials provide excellent ventilation which would help cool down the temperature of your body. On the other hand, thick materials excel at minimizing heat loss and keep you warm. So take your personal preferences into account in order to come up with sensible investments.
- Assess The Built-In Features
Beside standard characteristics such as dimensions, fabric,.. itâs beneficial to take a look at what the tights have to offer in term of features. For instance, some products are known to employ antimicrobial properties so as to preserve the sanitary of the tight wearers. Additionally, for compression legging in general, a couple of models are designed to prevent your little buddy from dancing around. In any case, you must always remember to assess the integrated features of different products to get the best deal.
- Price Vs Quality: Which One Is The More Important Priority
As with any other purchases, the shopping budget is on average one of the decisive factors while buying basketball tights. But should you increase the spending limit if you run into some high-quality models?
In most of the case, you donât have to strain your financial capability in order to get premium-grade, top-of-the-line tights. Actually, for basketball enthusiasts, the market nowadays could offer plenty of quality and affordable tights. Why bother paying considerable sums of money to acquire athletic-class tights if you are unable to utilize their potential? With that said, remind yourself to stay away from dirt-cheap compression garment as nothing good ever come from them. “You get what you pay for” is the rule of thumb that you must remember.
