Compression Socks

Was wondering myself how much they help.   My calve and legs are very sore right now.  Look forward to any insight.

I bought a pair at fleet feet a few months ago. They were $60 bucks, but I don't remember the brand. I tried running in them, but did not like them my legs felt tired. I now use them as a recovery tool. I put them on when I finish my long run and wear them the whole day. I usually take them off before going to bed. I have fallen asleep with them on, but wake up wanting them off. They work great for me to recover faster. I don't understand why I don't like them to run in, but I don't care as they make my legs feel great the next day. I highly recommend them and suspect that they would work equally as well if you wore them while exercising. I don't think they will help with shin splints as this is typically caused by mechanical problems associated with shock absorption, stride length and push off. It seems that shin splints might be caused by using the wrong type of shoe for the foot type. I am not a doctor and don't even play one on TV. 

Kevin  

I use them for recovery after long runs.  They do appear to have an effect on how my legs feel at the end of the day (even if only psychological).  I don't wear them for the runs though. 

I got given some Nike ones that I have been wearing for long runs training for a marathon. They seem ok but hard to know how much benefit I get from them as I havent done a run over 13 miles without them. I keep wearing them because they seem to prevent blisters as well.

I believe they are supposed to reduce the muscle damage from the calf muscle wobbling on every stride and they certainly do help reduce it so maybe it is good.

Was trying to recover from a calf strain so I got some thinking they might help.  They didnt really help that issue much.

However, I did some experimenting over a month or two doing runs with them and then the same runs without them, using them for recovery, etc.   I never noticed any difference by having them on during the run.   It seems putting them on after a long run and wearing them up to 48 hrs seems to help the recovery some.  

So.... after all the trials, I now put them on after my shower after a long 10+ mile run and wear them until I wake up the next morning. 

I'm wearing some as I type at work!

My wife refers to them as my 'Uncle Bill Socks,' as she has an 80-year old uncle who always wears socks up to his knees.

As for effectiveness, it seems partially placebo, but I do think they aid in blood flow and speed up muscle recovery. I did about four hours of exercise yesterday, so today was a day to wear them. I usually put them on after longer workouts.

I also have some calf sleeves for when I don't need to full socks. I had an achilles injury a few months ago, and wore the socks to aid with the healing and blood flow - I'm back to 30+ mile weeks, so I think they helped a bit.

I don't have compression socks, but I do have compression sleeves.  I got them to deal with my shin splints, and they have helped TREMENDOUSLY.  I haven't had any issues since I started using them about a year ago. 

Mine are Zoot, totally worth the money.  Also, Zoot comes in more sizes so you can get a more exact fit than just S/M/L. 

+1

Really, compression is used to improve blood circulation which may or maynot help with shin splints... but you'd be better off looking at the shoes and or milage inceases to find out what's causing the issue.

I am not going to say that compression does or doesn't work (for me it does, if only in my head), but they have been used in the medical field for some time to help diabetics with leg circulation and post-op surgury patients...

For me, I like the way they feel during the run and after.  It may be only a mental thing, but whatever works...  I also use a arm compresion sleeve as for some reason I have a forearm muscle that goes numb on runs longer than 60 minutes.  The arm sleeve holds that muscle firm and keeps it from going numb. 

I will say that not every compression brand is equal.  I have found that 2XU has poor compression for me.  Sugoi does a REALLY good job, but I went one size smaller than their chart suggested.  Zoot is really good too and also I went one size smaller.  I have some Skins compression shorts and tops that I love also.  I've heard CEP is really good, but I have no experience with them.

I'd agree with this.  Supposedly they promote blood flow which is supposed to speed recovery.  As an injury prevention/cure device, they aren't meant for that.

I keep my compression socks right next to my bottle of snake oil.  They work about as well as they make a fashion statement.

YMMV.

I have the Sugoi and they are really great!

i used to have calf pain.  It is better now.  I wear compression sox and sleeves sometimes during and almost always after runs.  I dont know if my lack of pain is from compression or from just getting used to running.

That being said.  I have 4 different kinds at many price points.  I will say you get what you pay for.   The cheap ones just feel like a little tight regular long socks.  the quality ones actually feel like they are doing something in the right places.

My doctor prescribed them for me post-injury to help with some swelling issues I had in my ankle.  The were good (the medical kind), but lost their elasticity quickly.  I got two pair of Zoot's for practically the price of one (web special) and they are holding up MUCH better.

I stopped wearing them after I recovered except for plane travel.  However, I just realized (DOH!) that I could have worn them this weekend after two long workouts when my calves were a bit tight and sore.

Next time!

I have the CEP sleeves, too, but at the time they were making the swelling worse because I didn;t have compression on my feet to push the blood back up - but I might try them again now.

I find them energizing and comfortable.  And the DO help with swelling.

so you are taking something that was intended mostly to prevent DVT after surgery and claiming that the increased circulation and compression to inhibit blood pooling is treating your shin splints that is most commonly caused by repreated stress to the tibia or possible small stress fractures in the shin...

I'm sold, where can i buy them?

oh a more sincere note, I use them as recovery as it does help prevent swelling in the ankles and calves in my observations.

cheers!

ratherbeswimming - 2011-04-11 9:27 AM I use Futuro ones for recovery. They're like $25 at the drug store. Not as cool looking as sports branded ones... but I don't really care. They're plain white, cheap, and they work great

^^  This.  The branded models are mostly just expensive versions of the TED socks you can buy at any chain drug or mass merchandise store.  (Some of those drug store brands are more robust than others, though.)

I mostly just wear them for recovery after very long runs, but I've been having serious calf issues this spring, so I actually wore them in a half mary a couple weeks ago, just to provide a bit of stability to the muscles and a reminder to maintain my ankle stability.  Worked well enough that I may wear them in Boston on Monday.  Not sure how well they'll address shin splints per se, though.