Why Do Some Winter Olympians Wear Tape on Their Face?

Maja Dahlqvist and Jonna Sundling of Team Sweden by Gabriela Bhaskar, The New York Times

The 2022 Winter Olympics are in full swing, and we have all become winter sports’ experts. We know all the athletes’ techniques and can identify when and where there are flaws. After all, we know it best…right? One facial accessory that has made the world turn their heads is the tape on skiers’ and biathletes’ faces. Is it a part of their uniform or does it have a more practical use? Let’s delve into the purpose of this Olympic-worthy adhesive.

Kinesiology Tape

The tape is known as kinesiology tape (KT). KT comes in an assortment of colors and patterns. What makes this tape so special is that it’s extremely sticky so it’s very effective at keeping things in place. Rutgers University’s Pre-DPT student, Samantha Matson, weighs in with her personal experience working 250+ hours in a physical therapy (PT) setting.

Matson says “Kinesiology tape is so incredibly sticky that it is not used on senior citizens in PT because it can rip fragile/delicate skin when taken off. Its intended purpose is to help hold the muscles in a specific place, to take strain off overworked muscles and provide increased joint stability.”

Considering facial skin is very sensitive and delicate compared to the rest of the body, KT is not recommended to be used on the face. So why do some Olympians still decide to use it on their face despite the risk?

Wind-Repellant

Just standing outside in freezing, windy conditions is enough to give you windburn. Now imagine you’re driving down a highway on a motorcycle, and it’s sub below temperatures. Those are similar conditions to what Olympic skiers endure while competing. That’s right. While traveling down the slippery, steep slope, Olympians can reach upwards of 130km (80mph)!

No wonder they can make it down an 800-1100m (2625-3609ft) hill in less than a minute! In already cold conditions plus skiing in the wind, the temperature is around -30^oC (-22^oF) and can dip even more. Any bare skin must be covered up, not necessarily to keep it warm but to prevent frostbite.

KT in Sports

The 2022 Winter Olympics are not the first time KT has made an appearance. KT picked up popularity with the 2008 Summer Olympics when various athletes used KT during their televised competitions. Many athletes wear KT while competing to “help” them perform better. While KT is excellent for recovery, in reality, research has shown that KT does little to improve performance.

References

1. Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet by Michel Cottin/Agence Zoom/Getty Images
2. Cover picture: Maja Dahlqvist and Jonna Sundling by Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times
3. Gutoskey, Ellen. “Why Do Olympic Skiers Wear Tape on Their Faces?” Mental Floss, 10 Feb. 2022, [Link].
4. Reneker, Jennifer C et al. “Effectiveness of kinesiology tape on sports performance abilities in athletes: A systematic review.” Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine vol. 31 (2018): 83-98. [Link]
5. Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig by Aleksey Toritsyn/Wikimedia
6. Webb, Sam. “Why Are Skiers Wearing Tape on Their Faces at Winter Olympics? What Does It Do?” Eurosport, Eurosport, 13 Feb. 2022, [Link]

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