Should I be changing my underwear for gym class?

Last updated on February 18, 2023

Question:

Hello,

I have a gym class this semester. Normally I just change my shirt and shorts but keep my normal underwear on. Is this a problem or should I change into something different?

Thank you!

Answer:

If you are getting hot and sweaty during gym class, then you should change your underwear and socks in order to decrease your odors after class. If you are doing sports that involve running you should be wearing compression shorts. These will keep your testicles from getting twisted, which is extremely painful. If you are involved in sports that might get you hit between the legs, then you should be wearing compression shorts with a protective cup so that your testicles don’t get damaged.

Question:

Thanks for the information! Yes, we do a lot of running and things like that in class. I normally wear briefs. Aren’t those kind of the same thing? But changing probably would help with the sweatiness. I’ve never heard of the twisted testicles thing. Wearing a cup makes a lot of sense for contact sports though!

Answer:

Briefs are not the same as compression shorts. Compression shorts press your genitals tight against your body so that nothing swings around. They are able to do this because they are made with more elastic material than regular briefs.

Testicular torsion, or a twisted testicle, happens in about 1 in 4,000 men. If it happens, it typically happens during adolescence when the body and genitals are rapidly growing. Testicles hang on a cord and their blood supply is brought to them by arteries that loosely wrap around that cord. If a testicle twists on its cord, it will pinch off the blood supply to that testicle The result is very painful and, if not corrected, can cause the testicle to die in about 4 to 12 hours. Usually, the side that is twisted also swells and turns a darker color from the backed-up blood. If this happens, it is considered a medical emergency and should not be ignored.

Response:

Thanks again. I will definitely have to get some compression shorts, by the sounds of it!