Bandages have been around for millennia, most obviously in mummies, but among the living, bandages have been used to treat wounds all throughout antiquity as far back Ancient Egypt. Bandages were depicted in art in Ancient Greece and perhaps most famously the use of bandages was mentioned in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Though all of these treatments differed slightly, especially in treating open wounds, various treatments from honey to various herbs were used to promote healing. Thank goodness we’ve moved beyond those ancient techniques and other unusual treatments like the medieval cure of hot irons for hemorrhoids… But by and large, bandages have been used for millennia as a treatment for injuries and they seem to be here to stay.
Beginning in the 1800’s medical care drastically improved and led to the prevention of infections and by the early 1900s bandages were close to becoming the product we’re all familiar with. In 1918 specifically, the ACE Bandage was invented by Oscar O. R. Schwidetzky. Schwidetzky came up with the bandage in conjunction with a competition to name a new bandage adding the ACE Bandage to his long list of medical patents. The bandage fastener came a bit later in 1932 and made the ACE Bandage even more easy to use. By all appearances, the same bandage fastener is still used today.
While ACE sounds like a word that would be, and was, used a lot back then especially for high quality products, it’s actually an acronym for All Cotton Elastic as mentioned by this author. This author also made mention that the ACE Bandage has undergone changes over the years, namely that older versions have a looser weave and don’t adhere as well. Since ACE was created, the brand has continuously grown with technology to bring the newest innovations to bandage use. The 70’s through the 80’s brought the most changes and expansion as market needs and technology drove demand. By ACE’s 100th anniversary in 2018, the brand had been acquired by 3M and updated aesthetically to bring it into the 21st century.
As ACE bandages grew from beyond just simple bandages into treatments for specific ailments, the majority of which involve ankle, back, elbow, knew and wrist injuries. Ankle braces are meant to treat tendonitis, ligament sprains and swelling. Back products are meant for muscle spasms, soreness, stiffness and loss of motion. Elbow products are great for tendonitis and swelling caused by “sports” elbow (Little League Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow, Tennis Elbow), inflammation of tendons in the forearm and inflammation of the bursa sack in the elbow. Knee treatments include quite a wide range of options including: arthritis, Chrondomalacia Patella, contusions, ligament sprains, patella tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee), quadriceps tendonitis and general swelling. Finally, ACE treats wrist conditions such as ligament sprains, carpal tunnel syndrome and general swelling. Of course, to make the best use of these products, you’ll probably want to wash your ACE Bandage from time to time.
While there are a multitude of treatments made by 3M’s ACE Brand and we carry the full catalog. A few of our recent bestsellers will help you get started in finding the right ACE Bandage for your needs. For elbows, our bestselling product has been the ACE Elbow Pads 908002. They’re one size fits most and come in a quantity of one per order. For knees, we’ve had a lot of orders for the Ace Knee Sleeve 901519 Large/X Large. This knee sleeve provides compression, but also protects against abrasions and impacts. For back pain, the Cold/Hot Compress Back Wrap 203960 will provide comfort and support until you can get in for a deep pressure massage or the chiropractor. General cold compresses are also available and always useful.
Having established a presence just over 100 years ago, ACE Bandage not only describes what it’s made of, but is an accurate assessment of the quality of their bandages. ACE Bandages can be used at your own discretion or in conjunction with your doctor’s therapy plan. Whichever ACE Bandage you use, it’s a good investment that will lead to a speedy recovery.