Safety is an essential aspect of sports. Many accessories are available in the market that keeps the players uninjured during their ultimate gameplay. Volleyball includes a lot of jumping, muscle energy, and abrasions to catch the ball or defeat the opponent.
Elbows and knees are the most exposed parts in ball games. Like knee pads, players also wear elbow pads. They keep your elbow safe and let you play unlimitedly. However, volleyball elbow pads come in various variants, and buying them does require some understanding.
Types Of Volleyball Elbow Pads
Volleyball elbow pads have three variations that differ in their protection levels. Players of all ages and skills wear them for muscle support and increased performance.
Padded Elbow Pads
Padded elbow pads are the most common type of volleyball elbow pads. They have the thickest padding and offer maximum impact resistance. Although they endure all sorts of impacts, from scratches to falls, they are not very breathable. Therefore, they can be pretty uncomfortable in summer matches.
The wearable part is ergonomic and comfortably stretchable, made from flexible materials. In contrast, the paddings are thick foam or rubber pieces that sit firmly on the elbow and some surrounding areas without restricting the player's mobility.
Elbow Sleeves
Volleyball elbow sleeves look like compression pads (like the physicians use to measure blood pressure). These sleeves have two kinds: padded and non-padded.
The non-padded ones prevent minor impacts and scratches and are more breathable. In comparison, the padded ones offer more protection and are less airy than the non-padded ones.
Full Arm Sleeves
The full arm sleeves cover your arm from biceps to wrists or forearms. Although, the forearms and biceps are comparatively less impacted. But some players prefer the extra protection.
Like elbow sleeves, full-arm sleeves have padded and non-padded versions. The padded ones have thick paddings on the elbow and the forearm area. In contrast, the non-padded ones are flexible sleeves without paddings but resist scrapes and frictional burns suitably.
Why Should You Wear Volleyball Elbow Pads?
Playing volleyball requires a lot of energy and muscle strength. Players begin to feel muscle stress in longer games, resulting in decreased performance. Elbow pads prevent that. They support the muscles and stop strains by improving blood circulation during exertion.
Playing at higher temperatures results in sweaty hands, and players often wipe them with their shirts. For some, it is an inconvenience as it causes distraction. Wearing sleeved elbow pads prevents that and increases playing precision.
Elbow hurts are a common problem in volleyball players because hitting the ball affects elbows the most. Elbow pads keep the unnecessary load off your elbows and help them recover fast. Lastly, there is the style. Although all kinds of elbow pads have their elegance, the full-sleeved elbow pads have the most prominence. Players often wear team-customized elbow pads for style and safety.
The Bottom Line
Elbow pads are more than a fashion accessory. They prevent injuries from abrasions, falls, and friction burns. Moreover, they also support your elbows and muscles to increase performance.
Elbow pads have three standard variants. The padded elbow pads only cover the elbows, the elbow sleeves cover some area surrounding the elbow, and the full sleeves pads cover the arm from biceps to forearms.
Although padded elbow pads have the thickest paddings, they are not much breathable and cover less skin. The elbow and full arm sleeves offer more coverage, improved blood circulation, and muscle support. So if you have muscle strains often and prioritize complete protection, buy an elbow pad that supports more muscle area.
