according to one source. As jockstraps gained popularity in the early 1900s, retailers and medical professionals began recommending them, not only as a way to avoid athletic injuries, but also as a great supportive garment for men recovering from non-sports injuries as well as guys who had undergone genital surgeries for things like hernias and hydroceles (excess fluid in the testicles–EEK!).One particularly kooky health-nut version of the jockstrap, the Heidelberg Electric Belt, claimed to fix all sorts of medical issues.