Why Do Basketball Players Wear Arm Sleeves [August 2022]?

Ever since Allen Iverson wore an arm sleeve during the 2000-01 season, everybody had a question in their head, and the popular one was “Why do Basketball Players Wear Arm Sleeves?” Well, all we know why Allen Iverson wore the arm sleeve is due to Bursitis. His doctor recommended wearing the sleeve will speed up his recovery.

However, he did not stop wearing it even after the recovery; who knows for what reason. Fans assumed it was a fashion statement, others thought he did not recover completely, and fellow players said: “He could not stop himself from wearing his arm sleeve as he felt improvement in his game after wearing it.” That’s where arm sleeves got another name, “Shooting Sleeves.”

Whatever the reason was, it became a fashion statement for fans and a preventive gadget for basketball players from arm injuries. Alongside, people started wearing sleeves for other reasons like keeping their arms warm, preventing excessive sweating, protection, etc.

Simply put, there are a bunch of reasons why do NBA players wear arm sleeves? So let’s dig in deep to get more detailed information regarding this.

why do nba players wear arm sleeves [2022]

Reasons Why Do NBA Players Wear Arm Sleeves?

 After researching thoroughly, welcome out with different reasons for wearing arm sleeves. However, not every player wears it for medical purposes. Check out the following list for a deeper insight into why do basketball players wear arm sleeves?

Medical Aspects of Arm Sleeve

  • Muscle Compression:

Arm muscle compression is the first and foremost shooting sleeve purpose and why Allen Iverson started wearing this thing onto his shooting arm. Now you must be thinking, what does a compression sleeve do? So if we put it in easily understandable words, we can say that it puts pressure on the area of injury, which stimulates your heart to pump more blood into that area. It results in early restoration since more oxygenated blood travels through the affected area.

  • Inflammation:

Inflammation is another medical aspect of basketball players wearing long sleeves. Like in muscle compression, the arm sleeve squeezes the inflamed area. It compresses and reduces the blood circulation into the swollen veins and prevents blood pooling, positively impacting the heart’s working load.

  • Pain Relief:

Arm sleeves could prove significant in pain relief of your elbow joints and soft tissues. How? Well, the compression sleeves have extra padding in the elbow region that keeps your elbow in place to some extent. Its slight pressure on soft tissues prevents severe joint conditions like hyperextension or pulled muscle.

  • Prevents Minor Skin Cuts:

Basketball is an intense game; if you are a basketball player, you would probably know that it is normal to be pulled off by your opponents. It might cause some skin injuries like minor cuts and bruises, which might develop some skin infections like cellulitis. Arm sleeves prevent your skin from cuts and infections.

Performance Aspects of Arm Sleeve

  • Warmth:

Arm sleeves are not solely used for medical reasons but also for enhancing one’s performance with accessories.. Lately, basketball players are wearing long sleeves to keep their muscles warm. It reduces muscle stiffness and lets you shoot effectively.

Moreover, the warmth keeps the soreness away and increases your arm flexibility if you had an injury in the past.

  • Moisture Wicking:

If you ever play basketball, you would probably be aware of the mishandling of basketball due to excessive sweat dripping off your arms. Basketball players, especially defenders, wear sleeves to keep their arms dry. It helps them handle the basketball with more accuracy.

Moreover, it also acts as a barrier when a sweaty player comes in contact with your arm.

  • Confidence:

No matter what game you play or where you want to present yourself, your confidence always makes you stand out from the crowd. Basketball is a competitive game where you must dominate your opponent with your game and confidence. Wearing padded arm sleeves can give a player extra courage to go with more power on the court. It reduces the possibility of getting injured, and a player can push himself since he has an extra layer of protection.

Other Benefits of Arm Sleeve:

  • Appearance:

Other than medical reasons, there are other reasons why do basketball players wear arm sleeves. And one of them is to look cool. After Allen Iverson got noticed due to his arm sleeve, many players started wearing customary shooting sleeves to look more dominant and noticeable by their fans and opponents. Fans also followed the trend religiously, and sports companies started designing official NBA arm sleeves.

  • To Hide Tattoos:

If you are aware of NBA rules, then you must know that a player should not display any mark with promotional intent. Some basketball players use arm sleeves solely to cover the potentially controversial tattoos. One of the rumors about Allen Iverson’s arm sleeve was that he purposely wrapped his arms because he did not like a tattoo.

Circumstances in Which You Should Avoid Wearing Arm Sleeve:

The excessive and improper use of anything can reduce its risk/benefit ratio. Let’s discuss some conditions in which you should avoid wearing an arm sleeve.

  • Skin Allergies:

The arm sleeve is usually made of spandex or nylon material that might cause allergic reactions on some people’s skin. It is recommended not to wear it if you have had skin infections in the past as the material might intensify the conditions.

  • Bacterial Infection (Cellulitis):

Wearing an arm sleeve longer than recommended might result in cellulitis, a bacterial infection. We don’t mean to scare you, but It can spread to your lymph nodes and cause redness, swelling, blisters, and even amputation in severe cases.

  • Diabetes

Diabetic patients are more likely to develop several medical conditions, most commonly heart impairments. Due to diabetes, your nerves become weak, and a slightly higher compression on them might cause damage. It is recommended that people with diabetes should avoid wearing arm sleeves.

  • Other Medical Complications:

Wearing arm sleeves at night or when you’re not working out or playing can elevate your heart workload. Since it continuously implies pressure on the arm, your heart is constantly stimulated to pump excessive blood. It makes your heart weak and might cause higher blood pressure. Avoid wearing arm sleeves all day or during rest to prevent medical complications.

what are arm sleeves for in basketball

Who Should Wear Arm Sleeves:

From a personal perspective, I would not recommend wearing arm sleeves during friendly or pick-up games. The reason is that I feel arm sleeves restrict my arm movements sometimes. So it’s better to wear these sleeves only when you need medical support.

Some people might have different preferences and like to wear sleeves during regular training sessions. Simply put, wearing or not wearing arm sleeves totally depends upon your experience and level of comfort.

Final Thoughts:

As we know, many basketball players wear arm sleeves since their physician recommended it. However, some players only wear these for an aesthetic look. The arm sleeves certainly provide in-game advantages and allow you to perform better.

Alongside there are some risks of wearing sleeves for an extended period or with an underlying disease. However, with correct use, the advantages will outweigh its drawbacks.