Sport is one of the best ways to exercise, to get in shape, as well as one the best ways to socialize.
But just as important as these many great aspects, are the safety precautions that we need to take when playing these sports.
After all, many of the sports that are practiced around the country can have pretty nasty injuries involved in their play, so it pays to be able to protect yourself in the right way.
After all, you don’t want the next time you play that game of yours to be the last! So, you start collecting various pieces of protection.
Pads, helmet, tough shoes, the whole works. After collecting enough of the right gear, however, you may start to wonder just how much you need all of this stuff,
Take the cup, for example.
This piece of protection for your crotch might feel like it doesn’t cover enough of an area, so how good is it actually for keeping the goods safe in a sports match?
Well, that’s what we’re here to show you in this article!
In this guide, we are going to explain what exactly a cup guard is and does, as well as why they are so important when it comes to playing any kind of sport, whether it is out on the field, or in a dojo.
We’ll also explain how you should be wearing one of these if you choose to have that extra protection.
What Is A Cup?
Before we go any further, we should probably quickly explain what a sports cup is.
There may be a reader who is wondering exactly what exactly they do or a parent of a young kid who is making sure they have all the correct gear ready for their son to get more involved in a sporting life.
A sports cup, also known as an athletics cup, is a piece of protective gear that protects the groin in contact sports.
They are most often used in many track and field sports, but they are also widely used in many martial arts as a piece of protective gear, especially in fighting styles that make use of many fast strikes with the knee or elbow.
After all, groin hots aren’t exactly condoned in most martial arts, but that doesn’t mean that an errant kick won’t miss its mark, and target a point that shouldn’t be contacted!
When a person should start wearing a cup is something of a contested issue.
Whilst many people choose not to wear them, many professional sportsmen recommend wearing them for any sport that may involve direct contact with another person, especially in high-stress settings.
Many parents often wait to get their kids cups until they are at least 10 or 11, right before they hit puberty, but any age is a perfectly suitable time to get one for your son to start wearing them.
This is especially the case if your child is involved in a heavy contact sport, such as sparring in a martial art.
Why It Is Important To Wear A Cup
Many people reading this may be wondering if doing a sport without a cup is that bad.
After all, many professionals across a variety of sporting events and styles do not use them, so it’s not exactly like using one is mandatory.
However, if it is not compulsory to wear a cup during a sport that otherwise recommends one, you will certainly wish that it was once you take a hit that a cup would otherwise have protected your crotch.
As boys hit puberty, and the scrotum and testicles drop, the chances of receiving an injury that can incapacitate them go up.
This is often why parents and coaches will encourage younger kids into wearing cups so that they get used to the habit before they start going through puberty, and the risks of testicular or scrotal injuries increases.
Whilst a single strike or wayward ball may not do much damage in itself, repeated hits can cause some pretty serious effects on a person’s groin.
Among the most severe are the following:
Testicular Torsion – This is a condition where the testicles rotate and cause the blood that is circulating to them to be cut off, causing a severe amount of pain to the person experiencing them. This can happen after only a slight injury, sometimes, and requires immediate surgery to avoid any permanent damage.
Sports Hernia – This is where the muscles in and around the groin area causing the lining of another area of the body to break, letting muscles and another tissue fall through. This feels like intense debilitating pain and needs to be caught immediately to stop further injuries, and can occur during intense sporting exercises.
How To Put On A Cup
So, we have established that it is important to wear a cup. Now we are going to show you how exactly to wear one for yourself.
First, you should put on whatever lower uniform that you normally wear for your sport as part of the uniform.
Then you should put on the jock or jockstrap over the top of your leg wear, whether they are compression clothes, or looser fitting items, such as gi pants or shorts.
Once the jock is on, you can then place your cup between your legwear and the jockstrap. This will give you the adequate protection that you will need for sporting events.
The exact details of how and where to place it may vary, so check your cup’s instructions before putting it on.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, the cup is a vital piece of sporting equipment that you should not be without.
So, make sure you have it, make sure that it is secure, and enjoy your sport to your heart’s content!
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