Hand wraps

Hand wraps or wrist wraps are long strips of cloth or gauze used by boxers and martial artists to protect the hands during possible injury sustained from punching. The strip is wrapped securely around the wrist, palm, and the base of the thumb, where it serves to both maintain the alignment of the joints, and to compress and lend strength to the soft tissues of the hand during impact.

Hand and wrist wraps are used to compress the bones and tissues in the hand as well as support the wrist and help keep it in alignment.

Types

 * Competition - fighters use gauze and tape to protect the hands under boxing gloves during competition. This type of wrap offers better protection than reusable wraps.
 * Training - reusable training wraps are used outside of competition. These are secured with velcro instead of tape.