Does anyone know the real reason that nfl players and others wear those bands on their arms and even lower legs.

I play tennis competitively and I wear bands because they absorb sweat. Most top sportmen are sponsored. Companies e.g.. Nike might sponsor some basketball player. And they will tell them to wear a head band, arm band etc... because that's how they get their product advertised. Also the style is the wear arm bands where your biceps muscle is. Anyone who disagrees with me is wrong.

With all due respect to the tennis player who has a difficult time with spelling, I doubt he's ever taken a pro football snap. I have. In addition, I am a fitness trainer. The bands discussed are thin and have no namebrand insignias, so they clearly can't be due to "sponsor" requirements. It would be like the "secret publicity stunt" joke in the movie, "Rat Race". In addition, many players, including rookie linesmen making the league minimum and many other players with no endorsement opportunities wear the bands. The tennis player is wrong. So, what are the bands for?

Some speculate, incorrectly, that they are orthopedic in nature - used to treat or prevent tendinitis of the epicondyle tendon in the forearm. The band used to "treat" medial or lateral epicondylitis is worn below the elbow on the upper forearm. The bands worn NFL players is usually seen worn either above the elbow or on the upper biceps. Usually, the player has it on both arms -and the odds of tendinitis simultaneously on both arms is remote. The armbands were worn initially by Ahman Green, former running back for the Green Bay Packers who had a problem with fumbles several years ago. They have since become somewhat of a fashion statement and are occasionally even worn by linesmen who have virtually no chance of ever running with the ball. You might notice the coincidence of the bands being worn by players with a flair for the dramatic on the field - celebrating, acting out, etc. They are made of non-absorbant rubber and do absolutely nothing to prevent sweat from rolling down the arm.

This post is like a year old. I can spell very well, it's called "slang" though. I did not know what bands he was talking about but they are for strained ligaments/muscles or tendinitis

Also the only word I spelt wrong was "cuz" which means because, it's pretty obvious though...

I heard it is to cover offensive tatoos, but I do not have confirmation.

The tennis player is an idiot... I'm a personal trainer and my degree is in kinesiology. Its very simple... Gary is right!

A friend of mine is an NFL Coach and he said that there are so many rules regarding how to wear the equipment and what you can and cannot do that players rebel by wearing what they can get away with-the armband is one of those ways. Then it just caught on and college just making it a fashion statement.

In Name of Fashion, Embracing a Trend , NYT, 9/18/08

Quote:

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Most do not wear the bands to practice, signaling the vanity of their use. All admit that they wear the bands only because they think it looks good, which would be the only plausible reason.

“There is absolutely no benefit from a performance standpoint or a medical standpoint,” said Ralph Reiff, a certified athletic trainer and director of St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis. He has seen the upper-arm bands become popular on football players from the N.F.L. down to middle school. “It’s purely a fashion statement.”

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Purely a vanity-driven fashion fad, nothing more.

Sanjay Persad is a twerp!

You also spelled "sportsman" incorrectly with sportman, as well as "sponsor" with sponser.
Then, when you told us all what a great speller you are you misspelled "spelled" with spelt (which is an ancient wheat grain).

On top of that, you appear to know little about football, sports medicine or the English language.

Better stick to the manly sport of tennis.