Jockstrap

This article deals chiefly with the genital protective sports gear designed for the male body, colloquially known as a "jock".

The pouch, in some varieties, may be fitted with a pocket to hold an abdominal guard (impact resistant cup, box) to protect the testicles and the penis from injury.

[5] The jockstrap was invented in 1874 by C. F. Bennett of a Chicago sporting goods company, Sharp & Smith, to provide comfort and support for bicycle jockeys working the cobblestone streets of Boston.

Today, jockstraps are still worn in the US by adolescent and adult men for sports, weightlifting, medical purposes, and for recovery from injury or surgery for such conditions as hematocele, inguinal hernia, hydrocele, or spermatocele.

[9] The trend was reflected with the inclusion of the garment in the runways of various major designers including, Calvin Klein, JW Anderson, Gucci, and Rick Owens, alongside other large brands like Adidas, Diesel, and 2(x)ist making multiple styles.

[citation needed] In Europe, from the time of the Middle Ages, undergarments available were limited to a loose fitting trouser-like piece of clothing called a braies.

This article of clothing was stepped into and then laced or tied around the waist and legs at about mid-calf and provided no support to the male genitals.

This allowed the scrotum unlimited movement under clothing and resulted in injury from carts, carriages with wooden planks for seats or the saddle as the body took all of the force of the motion.

The suspensory was developed around the early 1820s as a way to lift the scrotum away from the plank seat and saddle thereby preventing injury while in a cart, carriage or horseback riding.

[citation needed] Optional cups offer additional protection for contact sports and are made of hard plastic or steel, perforated for ventilation.

The abdominal guard is usually constructed from high density plastic with a padded edge, shaped like a hollow half-pear, and inserted into the jockstrap or jockstrap-style underwear of the batsmen and wicket-keeper.

[citation needed] Fashion jocks often incorporate soft-lined front pouches or they may be designed to bring the male genitalia forward or upward.

Some sports such as boxing use an oversized cup and jock combined into a single item which has layered foam padding that protects the groin, kidneys and abdomen.

[15] The garment has become especially popular between gay men and the LGBTQ community in the 2020s, with major brands producing rainbow-colored, pride-themed jockstraps.