Ifyou have watched any athletic events at these Olympics you will have noticed that some athletes wear sleeves that cover their forearms.
You may have also noticed some at some winter competitions you may have participated in, and while on those occasions they serve the purpose of warming body parts left uncovered by clothing, it is more difficult to explain their function in the case of summer events.
These Olympic Games, like all Olympic Games, are held in the summer (they are called, not coincidentally, Summer Olympics) and it is not cold in Paris these days, quite the contrary.
A few practical and one less practical reason
Their meaning is quickly explained: they are actually sleeves that exert compression on muscles, increasing tissue oxygenation and reducing the likelihood of injuries such as strains.
Compression of the rest has long been a tool used to improve the performance of athletes’ muscles.
Another reason is to protect them from the sun’s rays: these athletes and jocks are in fact exposed to the outdoors for a long time, and there are those who find sunscreen not very practical.
Here fabric protection can help them protect their skin.
The last reason is well summed up by the words of American sprinter and 200m gold medalist Gabby Thomas: “I like wearing them: when I look at them, they are like a reminder that I need to raise my arms.”
Even such a strong athlete needs to remind herself of the importance of the form of the athletic gesture, which is also determined by the correct rotation of the arms.
(via The Spun)