Go to any race, big or small, and you’ll see tons of runners in compression wear. It seems the most popular form of compression clothing are the knee high socks; but why? It’s more than just the funky patterns and fun neon colors that drives this athletic fashion.
Why Choose Compression?
Compression has been said to help with a number of things that runners may experience:
- Better blood flow
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce the possibility of blood clots
- Increase recovery speed
My Thoughts on Pro Compression Socks
I bought two pairs of compression wear from Pro Compression; a set of arm sleeves, and set of calf sleeves. After using them for a few months these are my thoughts. I find that the arm sleeves didn’t do a whole lot for me; but perhaps that is because I don’t find my arms get very sore from running anyway. It was however, quite nice to have the extra layer on my arms when the cold winter winds of Utah would freeze my giblets in the mornings.
The calf sleeves however were glorious! At first I really enjoyed using them both during my runs and post-run. They really did seem to help me recover faster and allow me to enjoy the day after a long run more. The bummer came when my ankle suddenly started getting bugged by the seems at the bottom of the sleeve. I found that it irritated by ankle enough during a run that I didn’t enjoy wearing them during a run anymore, I instead pulled them on after a run and still enjoyed the benefits of post-race recovery.
Coming Next
Since the calf sleeves somewhat irritate my ankle where the seem is, I decided to instead try the full socks. I assume this will fix my troubles at the ankle and allow me to continue enjoying the benefits of compression. So these ones are in the mail for me! Aren’t they fun?
Have you tried compression? What is your experience? Send me pictures of your fun socks!