Frontal view of a jockstrap. Properly worn, a jockstrap provides support for the male genitalia during vigorous physical activity.

A jockstrap (also known as a jock, jock strap, strap, supporter, or athletic supporter) is an undergarment designed for supporting the male genitalia during the performance of sports or other vigorous physical activity. Undergarments are clothes worn under other clothes often next to the skin The human male reproductive system is a series of organs located outside of the body and around the pelvic region of a Male that contribute towards the reproductive A typical jockstrap consists of an elastic waistband with a support pouch for the genitalia and two elastic straps affixed to the base of the pouch and to the left and right sides of the waistband at the hip. An elastomer is a Polymer with the property of Elasticity. The term which is derived from elastic polymer, is often used interchangeably with the term The pouch, in some varieties, may be fitted with a pocket to hold an impact resistant cup to protect the testicles and/or the penis from injury. The testicle (from Latin testiculus, diminutive of testis, meaning "witness" virility plural testes) is the male The penis (plural penises, penes Injury or bodily injury is Damage or Harm caused to the Structure or function of the Body caused by an outside agent or The jockstrap may serve as a cache-sexe. A cache-sexe is an item often a small garment that covers its user's genitals

Etymology

The word jockstrap has purportedly been in use since 1897 and ultimately traces its origin from jock in the slang sense of penis. The penis (plural penises, penes ^[1]

The Bike Jockey Strap was the first jockstrap manufactured in America circa 1874. ^[2] It is likely the word jockstrap is a contraction of 'jockey strap', with 'jockey' meaning 'rider', and, specifically in this case, a bicycle rider. Jockey meaning (race horse) rider has been in use since 1670. ^[3]

Jockey itself is the diminutive form of the Scots nickname Jock (for John) as Jackie is for the English nickname Jack. The nicknames Jack and Jackie, Jock and Jockey have been used generically for 'man, fellow, boy, common man'. From the period c. 1650-c. 1850, jock has been used as slang for 'penis'. In a similar fashion, the nickname Dick (for Richard) is also slang for 'penis'. ^[4]

History

The precursor of the jockstrap was a rubberized cotton canvas girdle worn for the sake of modesty by men and boys beneath their worsted wool bathing suits on public beaches during the 1860s. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making Sails Tents Marquees Backpacks and other functions This article is about the item of clothing In the Scots language, girdle refers to a cooking griddle. A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming. As public sporting events grew in popularity, athletes began to wear the rubberized canvas girdle under their tights and uniforms, in order to avoid charges of corrupting public morals with displays of their covered but uncontained genitalia. In 1867, a Chicago sports team refused to take the field wearing "modesty" girdles and forfeited the competition. A riot ensued; in a newspaper story about the event, a Dr. Lamb was quoted as "having recognized a medical benefit to males by the wearing of a protective girdle. "

Jockstrap ad, 1941. Ads from the past stressed the need for properly functioning equipment.

In the 1870s, the Boston Athletic Club sought an undergarment that would provide comfort and support for cyclists (or, bicycle jockeys as they were then known) riding the cobblestone streets of Boston. Traditional undergarments were uncomfortable and the rubberized canvas "modesty" girdle caused chafing and blistering on bicycle seats. What the Boston Athletic Club wanted was a comfortable garment that would accommodate the movements of the bicyclist yet would contain and control the male genitalia in the manner of the rubberized canvas girdle.

In 1874,^[5] Charles Bennett of the Chicago sporting goods company, Sharp & Smith, invented the jockstrap. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The original name of Bennett's invention was the Bike Jockey Strap and its logo, a large bicycle wheel. The jockey strap was intended, first, for bicycle jockeys, and secondly, for horseback riders. The "bike jockey strap" became known as a "jock strap" and, eventually, simply a "jock".

Bennett's newly-formed Bike Web Company patented and began mass-producing the Bike Jockey Strap. The Bike Web Company later became known as the Bike Company. BIKE Athletic Company (the Bike Company) is a sportswear company with headquarters in Atlanta GA. The first consumer mass marketing of the jockstrap occurred in the 1902 edition of the Sears and Roebuck Catalog which claimed the garment, now termed an "athletic supporter" was "medically indicated" for all males that engaged in sports or strenuous activity. ^[6]

In the early 1900s, the jockstrap influenced the invention of the Heidelberg Electric Belt, a low-voltage electric powered supporter that claimed to cure kidney disorders, insomnia, erectile disfunction, and other ailments. The kidneys are complicated organs that have numerous biological roles Insomnia is a symptom of a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity ^[7] Jockstraps are medically used today to facilitate recovery from injuries and surgeries such as hematocele, hydrocele or spermatocele. A hematocele is a collection of Blood in a body cavity The term is generally used to refer to the collection of blood in the Tunica vaginalis around the Testicle A hydrocele denotes a pathological accumulation of Serous fluid in a bodily cavity Spermatocele is a Retention Cyst of a Tubule of the Rete testis or the head of the Epididymis distended with a milky fluid that contains

During the 1980s and 1990s, jockstraps were generally no longer mandatory in high school and college sports and gave way to compression shorts. High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution College ( Latin collegium) is a term most often used today to denote an Educational Institution. Compression shorts are an undergarment usually worn by athletes In the early years of the 21st century, however, Calvin Klein, Under Armour, and other manufacturers introduced their own lines of jockstraps and renewed interest in the original garment. Calvin Klein Inc is an American fashion brand founded in 1968 by Calvin Klein. Under Armour is a brand of clothing headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, designed for use in Sports It was originally created to be worn underneath An abundance of fashion jockstraps are currently marketed as an alternative to regular underwear.

Collectible celebrity jockstrap: Wade Boggs' Florida spring training jockstrap, date unknown. Wade Anthony Boggs (born June 15 1958 in Omaha Nebraska) is a former Third baseman in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Boston Red Sox In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the Regular season.

Jockstraps have become commonplace in modern American popular culture and are no longer taboo or a source of embarrassment. "Knock their jocks off!" is a phrase used openly by American football coaches and fans of both genders to motivate football players^[8][9] while jockstraps of celebrity athletes have become sports collectibles. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with Coach (baseball|Coach (basketball|Coach (ice hockeyIn Sports a coach or manager is an individual involved in the direction instruction and training of the operations A sportsperson ( British and American English) or athlete (principally American English is any person who participates regularly in a Sport. For the record label see Collectables Records For the Ashanti album see Collectables by Ashanti A collectable ^[10] In 2007, Baseball player Ken Griffey, Jr. gathered media attention when he tossed his jockstrap to a heckling fan. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey Jr (born November 21 1969 in Donora Pennsylvania) is a Major League Baseball Center fielder for the Chicago ^[11] For many years, high school and college locker room pranks involve filling jockstrap pouches with irritating substances like novelty shop itching powders. A changeroom A prank is defined as "acting like a clown or buffoon" or "dressing showily" or alternatively "a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement" Jockstrap swiping from lockers and gym bags is also a frequent prank. ^[12][13] Hazing rituals at schools occasionally involve jockstraps. Hazing is an often Ritualistic test and a task which may constitute Harassment, Abuse or Humiliation with requirements to perform random often ^[14] In November 2005, Bike made its 350,000,000th jockstrap. BIKE Athletic Company (the Bike Company) is a sportswear company with headquarters in Atlanta GA. The jockstrap was taken off the assembly line, framed, and flown to Bike's Atlanta headquarters. An assembly line is a Manufacturing process in which parts (usually Interchangeable parts) are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned ^[15] Jockstraps as costumes or props have been seen on-screen in mainstream motion pictures including All the Right Moves, Any Given Sunday, North Dallas Forty and Youngblood. All the Right Moves is a 1983 Drama / romance film directed by Michael Chapman and starring Tom Cruise, Craig T Any Given Sunday is a 1999 film directed by Oliver Stone featuring an Ensemble cast, consisting of Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz North Dallas Forty is a 1979 Dramatic Film written by Peter Gent and starring Nick Nolte, Mac Davis, and

Jockstrap styles

Jockstraps are fairly consistent in design (waistband, pouch, leg straps) with variations appearing in details like width of waistband and fabrics. Some jockstraps are designed for specific sports. Hockey jocks, for example, have adjustable elastic straps and garter clips that hold hockey socks in place while the bulky goalie protector has genital and abdominal foam padding. In Ice hockey, players use specialized equipment both to facilitate the play of the game and for protection Windproof jockstraps have a special layer of fabric over the genitalia that protects the wearer from wind and cold in winter sports. Some manufacturers create "fashion jocks" made of exotic fabrics such as leather or chain mail that appeal to practicioners of sexual role playing.

Cup insert for a jockstrap.

Cups offer protection to the genitalia. Typically made of hard plastic and perforated for ventilation, a cup is inserted into a pocket on the pouch. Some cups though are simply a soft pad designed for low impact sports. Some cups have a waistband and straps attached directly to the cup designed to be worn over a regular jockstrap or briefs and are common in kickboxing and martial arts. For other uses of Brief(s see Brief Briefs are a type of short tight Y-shaped Underwear and Swimwear, as opposed Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. An oversized cup and jock combined into a single item which has layered foam padding that protects the groin, kidneys and abdomen is used in boxing and Muay Thai. The kidneys are complicated organs that have numerous biological roles In Vertebrates such as Mammals the abdomen (belly constitutes the part of the body between the Thorax (chest and Pelvis. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Muay Thai ( IPA: /muɑɪtʰɑɪ/ muāitʰāi มวยไทย lit Similar to the "Combined padded jock and cup", the flex cup combines the hard and soft cup. It features a hard cup melded into a soft cup. A Solid steel cup is often used for combat sports (i. e. Mixed Martial Arts, Kick Boxing and Muay Thai).

Related items include the jock brief, or support briefs, which, having a full seat resemble normal briefs but have a wider, stronger waistband and are made of a more supportive material. A thong style jockstrap (sometimes called a "dance belt") has only one strap attached to the bottom of the pouch, passing under the crotch, up between the buttocks and attaching to the waistband at the middle of the back. The buttocks (singular buttock) are rounded portions of the anatomy located on the posterior of the Pelvic region of the Apes including Humans Compression shorts have a full or partial jockstrap sewn into the inside. They provide pockets for a cup and, in the case of the football variety, provide pockets for thigh and backbone pads. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with The strapless variation to the jock, called a sock, has an elastic pouch that hooks behind the scrotum instead of being held in place by the normal leg straps. In some Male Mammals the scrotum - also 'scrutum' or 'scrootum' - is a protuberance of Skin and Muscle containing the Testicles A leg is a limb on an Animal 's Body that supports the rest of the animal above the ground between the Ankle and the Hip and is used for Suspensories are similar to the jockstrap with one main exception; above the pouch that holds the testicles is a hole to put the penis through so that it hangs free from the constriction of the pouch. The suspensory is typically used after surgery to the groin or other mediacal reason. Surgery (from the χειρουργική cheirourgikē, via chirurgiae meaning "hand work" is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental In Human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the Torso with the Legs on either side of the Pubic Enhanced jockstraps are a basic jockstrap with the addition of either a padding in the pouch area, or may have fabric "C" ring sewn in to lift and bring forward the penis and testicles.

How it is Worn

The most common way a jockstrap is worn is to put it on immediately over the skin, as the bottom layer. The skin is the outer covering of living tissue of an animal (or plant

The cup can either be inserted before or after the jockstrap is put on such that the rim of the cup firmly comes in contact with the pubic bone without resting on the genitals; otherwise the wearer would be put at risk for impact injuries. For the bone in many mammals often called the penis bone see Baculum The android pubic bone is the Ventral and Anterior

Because they absorb less moisture than regular underwear, jockstraps are also worn in place of regular underwear during hiking, camping, or other outdoor activities to provide cooling. The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage Definition Camping describes a range of activities Survivalist campers set off with little more than their boots whereas Recreational vehicle travelers arrive equipped Jockstraps can also help prevent scrotal chafing and impact while hiking long distances, because the scrotum is lifted away from the thighs. Since most jocks are a cotton, polyester, or spandex blend, they can easily be washed and hung to dry quickly each night. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Polyester is a category of Polymers which contain the Ester Functional group in their main chain Spandex or elastane is a Synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. Jockstraps can also be worn under undershorts, as a third layer. Undergarments are clothes worn under other clothes often next to the skin

Care, replacement and disposal

It is advised that one should always wash and dry jockstraps after every use because they can spread jock itch (tinea cruris) which is caused by fungi such as Trichophyton rubrum and is commonplace in gyms. Tinea cruris, also known as jock itch (American English Dhobi itch or scrot rot (British English is a fungal infection of the A fungus (ˈfʌŋgəs is a eukaryotic Organism that is a member of the kingdom Fungi (ˈfʌndʒaɪ Trichophyton rubrum is a Fungus that is the most common cause of Athlete's foot, Jock itch and Ringworm. It is also advisable to take a shower after a workout and towel dry thoroughly. Using a powder or dermatophyte antifungal cream if there is any redness or itching in the groin area is recommended, as is always wearing sandals in showers and never going barefoot. A dermatophyte is a parasitic fungus ( Mycosis) that infects the skin Itch ( Latin: pruritus) is an unpleasant Sensation that evokes the desire or Reflex to scratch In Human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the Torso with the Legs on either side of the Pubic Athletes foot (tinea pedis), caused by the same fungus as jock itch, which is very common in gyms and can be transferred to jockstraps, causing jock itch. Athlete's foot, also called Tinea Pedis, is a Parasitic fungal infection of the epidermis of the human foot The label may provide specific instructions. Usage of a high-fragrance detergent should be avoided because in a damp and hot environment the chemicals from the fragrance can seep into open sores caused by jock itch or chafing and cause more pain and irritation. Perfume is a mixture of fragrant Essential oils and Aroma compounds Fixatives and Solvents used to give the human body animals objects and living Perfume is a mixture of fragrant Essential oils and Aroma compounds Fixatives and Solvents used to give the human body animals objects and living In Medicine, a wound is a type of Injury in which the Skin is torn cut or punctured (an open wound or where blunt force trauma Pain, in the sense of physical pain, is a typical sensory experience that may be described as the unpleasant awareness of a noxious stimulus or bodily harm Irritation or exacerbation, in Biology and Physiology, is a state of Inflammation or painful reaction to Allergy or cell-lining damage

Even with proper care, like any other clothing item, jockstraps will wear down and need to be replaced. The construction of a jockstrap will determine its life span. Many older jockstraps were made with natural rubbers and cotton which naturally break down. Newer jockstraps incorporate many synthetic and natural materials that provide a longer lasting consistent product. Synthetic fibers are the result of extensive research by Scientists to improve upon naturally occurring Animal and plant A natural material is any product or physical matter that comes from plants animals or the ground In Marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a Market that might satisfy a want or need

See also

• Boxer shorts
• Briefs
• Compression shorts
• G-string
• Jock itch
• Jock sniffing
• Pelvic protector

References

External links

• Testicular Trauma and Care
• Jockwoof's Guide to Athletic Supporters and Protective Cups
• Where Have All the Jockstraps Gone?, Slate