The Proper Way to Wear an Athletic Supporter

An athletic supporter is designed to protect the penis and the testicles for any male playing a sport. The athletic supporter, also know as a jock strap, is usually coupled with a protective cup when playing contact sports, like football or hockey, that involve a lot of hard hitting. Baseball players also wear cups because of the hardness of the baseball.

Purchase a jock strap that fits comfortably. The size on the label refers to your waist size. It does not have to do with the size of the package. If you feel you need a larger protective area, buy a larger size athletic supporter and have the waistband taken in so it fits properly. When the athletic supporter is worn without a protective cup, the package should fit snugly and securely in the protective pouch. If it is too loose, you will not have sufficient support.

Slide the protective cup inside the sleeve if you are playing a hard contact sport. This cup will protect you in case a projectile, like a puck or a baseball, hits you directly in this delicate area. It will also protect you if an errant foot, knee or fist comes your way. The athletic supporter still needs to fit snugly when wearing the protector, but it does not have to be quite as tight to the body. It should not restrict your movements too much. Some people find it difficult to run and maneuver with a cup, but there is a trade-off with the protection provided.

Wear compression shorts over your athletic supporter for added protection. Do this if you're not wearing a cup. Compression shorts give extra protection from pulled hamstring or groin muscles, and they also provide additional padding to the package area.

Make sure the straps in the back of the athletic supporter are not twisted. Do this when you first put the athletic supporter on 1. However, if you're doing a lot of up-and-down movements, the straps can get twisted. Check them whenever you get an opportunity to go into the locker room.