What is the "magic spray" that trainers use in professional soccer (football) games?

Asked by jax1311 (159

) June 13th, 2012

When a player gets injured, the trainers have an aerosol spray they use on the injury that seems to help the pain. Commentators love to refer to it as the “magic spray.”

Of course, the feigned injuries that are (unfortunately) common in professional soccer are part of the reason the magic spray is so effective, but I’m curious as to whether the contents of the aerosol can help in any way with legitimate injuries or whether it is just something the trainers spray on the players so that they are doing something when someone acts injured.

For what it’s worth, I have been a fan of soccer for quite a while, but my curiosity was peaked when I saw a trainer spraying the contents of the can on the outside of an “injured” players cleat during the Euros.

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6 Answers

Probably something like ethyl chloride that freeze and numb the skin.

Lightlyseared (34622

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Dermoplast is used for tennis, soccer and other sports.

It’s also used by women worldwide for postpartum healing.

SpatzieLover (24606

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In english football during the 70/80’s, they often used the “magic sponge”
I tend to think it’s just a placebo used to kid thick footballers.

ucme (50047

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The effects are probably due to the placebo effect as much as any actual effects of the spray. The placebo affect has a much higher prevalence in things that have to do with pain, since the intensity of the pain is influenced by our perception of the pain.

As for the identity of the spray, it is probably dermoplast or a similar aerosol spray.

As for why the person sprayed it on the cleat instead of on the person’s foot, it may be due to not knowing how to use the spray. It is also possible that the person was actually spraying it onto the ankle, but your point of view made it look like the cleat.

PhiNotPi (12681

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It’s like when you are a kid and you fall over, get up crying and run to Mom. She gives you a kiss and says you’ll be ok. You feel reasured and can carry on playing. The “magic spray” in this instance is the Kiss.

Elm1969 (505

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