New Apparel Technology Protects College Players from Injury

WOODRIDGE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Is the college basketball game more physical than the pro game? According to this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated the answer is yes!

“They tell us it makes them feel like they can attack the basket harder”

There may only be four teams left vying for a national collegiate basketball championship but when the tournament started there was something most every team had in common – aside from the common goal of winning it all - most also wore HEXPAD®.

In many cases you can’t see it -but HEXPAD® is at the center of what is now an entirely new product category called protective apparel. HEXPAD® allows today’s players to drive the lane faster, bang in the paint harder and bounce right back to their feet after a hard foul.

McDavid Sports Medicine, based outside of Chicago, developed HEXPAD® almost five years ago and today most players playing at an elite level say it’s almost as important a piece of equipment as their basketball shoes.

“If you’re not protecting yourself, you may not last the whole season. One fall where you hit your hip hard can slow you down,” said Dante Cunningham, a senior forward for Villanova in today’s USA Today.

HEXPAD® is a series of hexagonal shaped protective pads which are permanently bonded into the fabric of compression shirts and shorts. The tops, bottoms, elbow, shin and shooters sleeves are lightweight, breathable and conform to and move with the body for the ultimate in performance and range of motion.

“They tell us it makes them feel like they can attack the basket harder,” said Bob McDavid, president of McDavid in the Sports Illustrated story. According to SI, today’s players engage in more in-depth and comprehensive workouts resulting in athletes that are bigger and stronger than those of even just 15 years ago.

Players of all sizes and body types are beginning to reap the benefits by wearing HEXPAD® as protection on their hips, thighs, tailbones, ribs, back and arms.

While it has been adopted by most NCAA basketball teams, as well as professional basketball players, athletes in sports outside of basketball are also now discovering the benefits of HEXPAD™ including those in sports like lacrosse, baseball, soccer and volleyball.

McDavid™ is the leading manufacturer of sports medical products, protective equipment and protective apparel. To learn more please visit www.mcdavidusa.com/.