FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Our band is a band with benefits. Below we list a few questions we have heard while launching our product. Is it a lumbar support back belt or a back warmer? What does the band do?

If you have arrived on this page, we obviously need to fire our marketing team for not effectively communicating those points to you. (Just kidding – we love our fellow marketing mom.) Click on the questions below to view the information and answer. If you don’t find all your questions answered below, please email us and ask!

ABOUT THE ELITE SPORTZ BAND

• What is the Elite SportZ Band? Or what is it?
  Initially, we were surprised by how often we got this question, but have come to understand that most people in the USA have never seen a band like ours. The short answer is: Elite SportZ Band is an elastic compression band that fits around the lower torso. (FYI: the lower torso is the abdomen and lower back, also known as the “core muscles”). Elite SportZ Band could be called a “back band” or “abdomen band”, related in a way to a “head band” or “wrist band.” Elite Sportz Band is also similar to a “back warmer” worn by dancers, and also akin to a medical “lumbar support belt.” While all those names might be used, we chose the name Elite SportZ Band because our band was painstakingly retooled for today’s athlete. The overall design is a simple to wear, reversible band that slips on under or over clothing. Elite SportZ Band has no hooks, Velcro, or plastic inserts, to impair mobility in any way. The band is lightweight and composed of breathable natural fibers of cotton and wool. The unique Z-weave ensures the proper compression without the need for any special adjustments.
• What is the background behind Elite SportZ Band? How did the product come about?
  Russian gymnasts and dancers have worn back warmers for decades. I first noticed rhythmic gymnasts wearing them at my daughter‘s gym. Being aware that many gymnasts suffer short and long-term back pain, I hoped a back warmer might help protect my daughter’s back. After trying out some traditional back warmers I imported from Latvia and finding them too large and loose, I came up with the idea of redesigning the back warmers to enhance compression. Working with fabric engineers, we found that the Z-weave is highly important in providing the optimal compression and therapeutic effect. Elite SportZ Bands initial product the “Z-10” is the “compression back warmer” that I hoped to find when I was looking to find a product that might help protect my girl’s backs, and may even help their performance.
• Is it a brace to treat injury?
  No, it is a band for awareness, support, postural awareness, and compression. It is not intended to be treatment alone, but should accompany rehabilitation of athletes with spine or core muscle issues.

WHAT CAN THE ELITE SPORTZ BAND DO FOR YOU?

• Why should I wear the Elite SportZ Band? Or what does it do?
  You should wear Elite SportZ Band to be nice to your back! Elite SportZ Band uses state of the art design and Z-weaving technology to deliver enhanced training performance and endurance. Elite SportZ Band wearers report that the micro-massage effect leads to a reduced recovery time post workout with less soreness and stiffness. Elite SportZ Band delivers warm, soothing, uniform compression that improves activation of the core abdominal and back muscles. Scientific studies show that proper activation of the core abdominal and back muscles reduces the forces impacting on the lumbar spine. Wearing the Elite SportZ Band supports the entire lumbar spine, protecting the vertebrae and disks. Unlike other lumbar supports, the Elite SportZ Band has all these benefits while maintaining full flexibility.
• How does a compression garment help performance?
  Compression garments are on the cutting edge of aiding athletes in their athletic goals. The compression of the Elite SportZ Band aids the athletes body in multiple ways. One simple benefit is that wearing the Elite SportZ Band allows the core abdominal and back muscles to warm up faster than without a band. The Elite SportZ Band maintains the warming effect throughout the entire duration of a workout, even during rest periods between repetitions. Another reported benefit of compression garments is micro-massage of the muscles. The micro-massage effect leads to a reduced recovery time post workout with less soreness and stiffness. Studies also indicate that compression increases proprioception and muscle memory. Proprioception is sense body position in space and strength of effort being employed in movement. Many have focused on the athletic benefits of increased proprioception ability for the arms and legs, and have ignored the torso and core. Proprioception of the torso is obviously important for all athletes, and especially important for high mobility sports involving jumping and twisting of the body in space. It is important to note that enhanced proprioceptive sense is persistent after training with compression garments, allowing the athlete to benefit in competition without needing to wear the compression garment. The Elite SportZ Band is a pioneer in bringing compression technology to the key core abdominal and back muscles of the lower torso.
• Will the Elite SportZ Band help if I am already injured?
  Athletes who have back injuries or sprains have reported pain relief while and after wearing the band. Many injured athletes wear the band while resting and sleeping. Continued compression and the warming effects certainly aid in the lessened recovery time experienced by those athletes. Bands similar to Elite SportZ Band have long been used in Russia and Eastern Europe for a variety of ailments, ranging from spinal stress fractures, arthritis, bulging discs and for post-surgical cases. Medical terms for conditions that the bands have been recommended include spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, spondylosis, radicular pain, radiculitis, sciatica, spinal disc herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis. Of course Elite SportZ Band, LLC recommends you check with your doctor to see if the Elite SportZ Band is right for your injury.

TRAINING WITH ELITE SPORTZ BAND

• I am a coach, and worried what other athletes and coaches will think when my athletes are wearing this band. Will they think that I am a bad coach, and have a bunch of kids with spine injuries?

  This is a very good question. Awareness of prevention comes with acknowledgement that issues actually exist. What we are saying is that people generally with adolescent sports, who are training intensely and pushing the envelope, at times will ignore small repetitive injuries in order to keep training, push through pain, or attain skills instead of focusing on basic alignment and stability. Having said that, no one wants other teams to think that your team is the one where kids are pushed, overtrained, always injured. Education is very important in many facets- website, lobby, parent groups, handouts, promotional material, group meetings and more. By proactively acknowledging the wonderful reasons why your organization is taking care of its athletes, the perception will quickly change from speculative to positive and cutting edge.

  Don’t let other ask first, be proud before they ask. Make sure your athletes know why, parents know how to explain, and posters are up for public to educate themselves.

• I heard and read that when you wear a brace, it makes the muscles weaker, like an ankle sprain. How is this different?
  Great question- this is a band, not a brace. It does not inherently prevent any motion. It does not stabilize a fracture, or disallow movement. It only encourages the proper use of the muscles…the muscles have to still activate and work themselves. The compression is a constant reminder to the brain of activation. The warmth allows tone regulation in the spine and abs, making recruitment of muscles more efficient. It does not make the muscles of the spine and abs weaker at all. To the contrary, strength will arise from awareness, and a better, more frequent, and confident mind-body connection.
• My daughter has poor posture in school- will this help her? Or should she just wear it in cheer and gymnastics?
  One of the greatest aspects of the design of the elasticity, and return from stretch, being circumferential and not just focused on the back is that the brace is happiest in neutral position- which is a vertically aligned spine. It is great to wear under clothes at school, as no one will even know that she has it on. As she works her muscles, and the brain/muscle connection, throughout the day, the endurance of the muscles increases and improves.
• How do I convince all of my athletes to wear this? How do I convince the parents to support it?

  This is a long process, based on the understanding of mutually respected values- health, wellness, and longevity. Your job is not to convince them to wear them, but to educate them so they want to, as much as you do, because you all want the same thing: the best athletes that you can have while making sure that above all else, they are healthy. In order to educate them, you make them want to be involved with cutting-edge athletic performance, prevention campaigns for their athletes, and a reduction in overall injury cost. Cost means a combination of cost of time lost for injury, cost of medical treatment, cost to the organization of losing and replacing athletes, and the important mental cost to the coaches, athletes and medical professionals. When they hear this, and understand the benefits, the buy-in is easy- they want to be the best. The athletes want to win, the parents want to win, but with health, and the organizations want to protect their assets.

  When the athletes wear the band, they will simply feel the difference. You can make it optional for the athletes, a group buy-in, or you can simply make it a part of your training program. Coaches put time and effort into their athletes, and they want to protect their business, just as a businessman protects his clients. Educate, have meetings, give information, allow questions. And more importantly, direct any fear to clubs who are already using it, or the product endorsers.