ACE: The Origin of the Tensor Bandage

As the mummified corpses in museums across the world can attest, the art of bandaging dates at least as far back as Ancient Egypt. Throughout history, bandages were primarily made of linen, and one story even claims that the Roman Emperor Trajan tore up his own toga when bandages ran short on the battlefield. For centuries, rags from clothing or even remnants from factories were used to dress injuries, with little regard for matters of sterilization. By the turn of the 20th century, that philosophy had changed, and the first American-made tensor bandage was developed by Oscar O. R. Schwidetzky in 1918. The bandage was named the ACE™ Bandage. ACE stands for "All Cotton Elastic," and much like our own recent lab coat naming contest, the name ACE was selected after a nationwide contest that offered physicians $200 for coming up with the best name for the new bandage. One advantage to the ACE bandage is that the knit allows the fabric to breathe naturally. Unlike its predecessors, the ACE bandage allows air to circulate, improving their use. Ace has now been a trusted brand in elastic bandages for nearly 100 years.