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Basketball arm sleeves have become a popular accessory with players ranging from NBA stars to young kids in local youth leagues. Relatively new to the basketball world, these arm sleeves came onto the scene in 2001, first worn by Allen Iverson. There are many reasons to wear basketball arm sleeves including boosting performance and reducing injury. No matter what basketball skills you have, shooting sleeves are worth incorporating into your athletic wardrobe.
Temperature regulation
While playing a pick up game or a full-fledged team affair, basketball arm sleeves will help your arms stay warm and in turn will increase your flexibility. This is most important during warm up, as this is the time when your muscles are at risk of injury if they are overextended. Not only do shooting sleeves help during warm up, because they are made from performance fabrics that wick moisture away from the skin, they regulate the temperature of your arm, keeping it at a more consistent temperature throughout the course of your game. This prevents the muscles in your arm from cooling down too fast, risking possible injury.
Covers tattoos
Many basketball players have tattoos, some of which aren’t suited for a family friendly atmosphere. In these instances a shooting sleeve is a great way to cover them up. The fabric and fit of basketball sleeves are designed for flexibility and movement so they will not reduce performance and in fact can benefit the player. This is a simple solution that keeps basketball G rated.
Boosts Confidence
That feeling you have after getting a haircut or donning a new pair of shoes always gives me a little boost of confidence. The same is true of wearing basketball arm sleeves. Sporting a new sleeve in your favorite color, or one that has multiple colors or a great design can be all that is needed to give you the extra confidence to sink that jumper you have been working on.
Improves form
Basketball arm sleeves help the elbow stay straight throughout the shooting movement. This improvement in form can be a great help to anyone that doesn’t have the greatest shot. The by-product of improving your form will be noticed when you see your shooting percentage go up. Wearing basketball arm sleeves that have compression will offer more support and form correction than shooting sleeves that do not have compression.
Prevents and protects cuts
Basketball arm sleeves can help prevent trauma to the arm or protect any superficial wounds. These sleeves add a layer of performance fabric that will not hinder your performance. In doing so, shooting sleeves give you a layer of protection from cuts or scrapes that you wouldn’t otherwise have while playing basketball. If you are in the process of healing a cut or scrape on your arm then a shooting sleeve can help protect the injury and will also help to keep any bandages in place.
Padding
Some shooter sleeves have flexible padding incorporated into the elbow. This padding helps reduce the potential for injury if a fall is taken or any physical contact occurs as is common in basketball. No one wants to be nursing an elbow injury when they could be out there on the court.
Compression
Utilizing compression basketball sleeves can benefit your health not only during play but also after practice to speed recovery. Compression arm sleeves work by placing direct pressure to the arm. This squeezes the capillaries and larger blood vessels in the arm, which increases circulation in the limb. Improved blood flow means that more of the lactic acid generated during exercise is carried away from your muscles, thus reducing soreness and speeding recovery. Compression shooting sleeves when used for recovery also reduce the amount of inflammation related muscle swelling by reducing the ability for fluid to collect in the tissues of the arm.
Style
There is something to be said for the form fitting nature of basketball shooting sleeves. They are stylish, especially now that dual color sleeves and sleeves with patterns and designs are not available. The wide range of colors and designs enables every player to express their individuality. While NBA stars like Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James may wear shooting sleeves mainly for performance benefits, they surely must think they look good too.
Basketball arm sleeves are inexpensive and they will benefit most basketball players. Definitely worth trying out if you are looking to improve your game and stay injury free. You can find them in many sporting goods stores or very easily online.
