Not so long ago compression stockings were only seen in hospitals, you wouldn't see a runner out on the weekend with a pair of NHS green socks on out of choice! However in recent years this has all changed and you cannot go to the gym let alone a race without seeing someone in compression socks or other types of compression clothing.
Thanks to Run Mummy Run for the photo of their snazzy compression socks, check out their website for more colours.
Compression basics
Hospitals have been using compression stockings to improve venous flow for over half a century. These stockings are designed to apply graduated (more compression around the foot and ankle than higher up the leg) compression to improve venous flow. This simply means they help your veins return blood back up towards your heart. This helps prevent onset of DVT, lower leg oedema, leg ulcers and varicose veins.
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| www.lymphoedema.org |
More recently compression clothing has started to be seen on the start line of many races and after a race many athletes will wrap themselves up from head to toe in compression clothing. The reasons for this is that the same principles that make compression stockings ideal for use in hospitals have also been proven to help improve athlete performance and recovery.
For this blog I have decided to focus on compression socks and briefly review some current research to give the reader a basic understanding of the benefits of compression socks, when to use them and what to look out for when choosing some.
Another area which needs more research is the effects on compression clothing on injuries such as shin splints. Hendrik Moan et al (2012) found no significant effect on using compression garments during a graded running programme for athletes with medial tibial stress syndrome however Brandon et al (2003) found evidence that wearing compression garments improve muscular torque and attenuate reaction forces thus possible reducing risk of injury.
Ali, A.; Caine, M. P.; Snow, B. G., Graduated compression stockings: Physiological and perceptual responses during and after exercise. Journal of Sports Sciences 2007, 25 (5), 413-419.
Ali, A., R.H. Creasy, J.A. Edge. 2010. Physiological effects of wearing graduated compression stockings during running. Eur J Appl Physiol 109(6):1017-25.
Ali, A.; Creasy, R. H.; Edge, J. A., The effect of graduated compression stockings on running performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2011, 25 (5), 1385-1392.
Brandon K. D, Young-Hoo Kwon, Robert U. Newton, Jaekon Shim, Eva M. Popper, Ryan A. Rogers, Lori R. Bolt, M Robertson and W J. Kraemer. Evaluation of a lower-body compression garment. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2003, 21, 601–610
Kraemer, WJ, Bush, JA et al. 2001, ‘Influence of compression therapy on symptoms following soft tissue injury from maximal eccentric exercise’, The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 31(6), pp. 282–90.
Maarten Hendrik Moen, Leonoor Holtslag, Eric Bakker, Carl Barten, Adam Weir, Johannes L Tol and Frank Backx., 'The treatment of medial tibial stress syndrome in athletes; a randomized controlled trial. Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol. 2012; 4: 12.
For this blog I have decided to focus on compression socks and briefly review some current research to give the reader a basic understanding of the benefits of compression socks, when to use them and what to look out for when choosing some.
The Research
As I have already touched on how compression socks work by putting pressure on your legs which in turn increases the pressure on the veins to help the blood in the vein travel quicker. Ali et al (2007) examined the effect of graduated compression stockings: physiological and perceptual responses during and after exercise and found that there was a significant reduction in delayed onset muscle soreness or 'DOMs' following a 10km run in participants who wore compression socks to those that didn't. Kreamer et al (2001) also found evidence of reduced symptoms related to DOMs with the use of compression garments. However it seems that for every piece of research done supporting the use of compression garments there is another that doesn't. For example Ali et al (2010) found no significant differences in oxygen uptake, heart rate or blood lactate during 40 minute treadmill runs. There were also no benefits post-exercise.
Another area which needs more research is the effects on compression clothing on injuries such as shin splints. Hendrik Moan et al (2012) found no significant effect on using compression garments during a graded running programme for athletes with medial tibial stress syndrome however Brandon et al (2003) found evidence that wearing compression garments improve muscular torque and attenuate reaction forces thus possible reducing risk of injury.
So... should you wear them?
The answer I give to clients when they ask me is to try compression clothing. Even if some of the benefits are due to a placebo effect if you feel wearing them helps you perform or recover better then in my view that makes them worth it. Some people wear them during exercise and others put them on after, either way I would advise wearing medical graded socks. Medical grade compression socks are rated in mmhg, a sock labelled 15-20mHg will be 20 around your ankle and 15 at your calf. The amount of compression is another subject of debate, Ali et al (2011) found athletes maintained greater maintenance of leg power during a 10km run with only 12-15mmhg of compression. Generally anything that you find comfortable over 10mmHg that is not so tight that it restricts blood flow will work, some people like higher levels of compression than others.
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| www.runmummyrun.co.uk |
References
Ali, A., R.H. Creasy, J.A. Edge. 2010. Physiological effects of wearing graduated compression stockings during running. Eur J Appl Physiol 109(6):1017-25.
Ali, A.; Creasy, R. H.; Edge, J. A., The effect of graduated compression stockings on running performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2011, 25 (5), 1385-1392.
Brandon K. D, Young-Hoo Kwon, Robert U. Newton, Jaekon Shim, Eva M. Popper, Ryan A. Rogers, Lori R. Bolt, M Robertson and W J. Kraemer. Evaluation of a lower-body compression garment. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2003, 21, 601–610
Kraemer, WJ, Bush, JA et al. 2001, ‘Influence of compression therapy on symptoms following soft tissue injury from maximal eccentric exercise’, The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 31(6), pp. 282–90.
Maarten Hendrik Moen, Leonoor Holtslag, Eric Bakker, Carl Barten, Adam Weir, Johannes L Tol and Frank Backx., 'The treatment of medial tibial stress syndrome in athletes; a randomized controlled trial. Sports Med Arthrosc Rehabil Ther Technol. 2012; 4: 12.
Thanks to Run Mummy Run for the photo of their snazzy compression socks, check out their website for more colours.
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