Your thoughts on compression gear:

[Second Wind]

Hey all - there are several questions floating about concerning compression gear so I thought we'd put it in 1 thread

and provide some anecdotal research for everyone (including me - someone who has never used calf sleeves, for instance, but am curious about the thoughts of great runners who do)

Share Your thoughts, your personal experiences and opinions, and your own questions.

• Think about things like do you use compression gear?
• Where (thigh sleeves, calve sleeves, tights, 'boxers', etc)?
• Do you wear it only on race days, only on training days, only at home for recovery afterwards, combination, or all?
• Do you have brand preferences (and why)?
• Why do you use it, or not use it - what difference do You feel it makes, Pros/cons/etc.
• Why would you recommend a friend to wear compression (and where)?

What do you think?



-Levi

 

[jschwab]

I think it makes a huge

I think it makes a huge difference for me. I even have custom made compression shorts designed to aid in rehab of a core injury I have, and it made a tremendous amount of difference when I was recovering.

 

[Matt]

I compression gear is similar

I compression gear is similar to shoes. Another device that people are being conned into believing they need for running.

 

[Joshh]

What Matt said.Less is

What Matt said.

Less is more. That said, hopefully Jimmy will weigh in here. He's less of a caveman than some of us.

 

[jschwab]

My custom made shorts came

My custom made shorts came from Sweat it Out (local company) www.sweatitout.com and I wear Zensah sleeves and CXU calf sleeves for recurring calf strain. I wear compression gear when I am running, not as a recovery technique. I used to feel like the above posters, but changed my mind when it worked. Binding and compression has always been used to deal with injuries and, following childbirth, to help with pelvic recovry. Just because the fabrics are tech doesn't mean it's not an ancient practice.

 

[Abide]

I don't wear them nor have an

I don't wear them nor have an inclination to do so. But I consider their usefulness to be similar to icing, foam rolling or using arnica on sore muscles.

 

[kentox]

I am still a bit sceptical

I am still a bit sceptical about compression gear even though I have the Zensah calf sleeves and the full length 2XU tights. I wore the calf sleeves on a 40km barefoot run a few days ago and i have had no problems with my calves in recovery. I didn't wear them while I was recovering. I wore the tights on a 37km run the previous week and had no muscle soreness but their still was some DOMS but it didn't last long.

All of this could just be the fact that I have built up enough strength in my legs that it doesn't hurt as much as it once did or they could work. I would need to go on another 40km barefoot run without them to find out.

I have a marathon next weekend and I'll wear my calf sleeves with VFF's and shorts. Will bring the tights as a recovery tool for the drive home.

If they work great. If not they keep my legs warm

 

[ajb422]

Matt wrote: I compression

I compression gear is similar to shoes. Another device that people are being conned into believing they need for running.

Agreed. But just like shoes they can help in many circumstances. I only wear them for recovery after very long runs. When I get much over 18 miles at the end of a hard week I'm hard pressed to walk to school. Putting on some calf sleeves makes all the difference in the world. I'll leave them on for half the day or so and then take them off.

 

[Go_Blue]

I believe in the theory of

I believe in the theory of compression. I have a history of tight/sore calf muscles, and while barefoot running has had a positive impact on that, I still occasionally need to help in the recovery process. If my legs are tight or sore, I put some liniment on and wrap with ace bandages for the night. I wake up feeling great everytime. So I believe that compression does aid in the recovery process because of the science behind it. But I refuse to spend $40+ on sleeves or tights when I can get the same benefits (even more customizable) from a $2 ace bandage.

 

[jschwab]

My issue seems to be that I

My issue seems to be that I have to actually wear the compression gear while I'm running or I get an instant calf strain. It's very annoying. But I always wear the sleeves for an hour or so after a run. I like that linament idea.

 

[mokaman]

Isn't there a reason we get

Isn't there a reason we get sore muscles...some of its normal maybe some from over doing it. But I guess I dont see the point of compression cloths except to help prevent chaffing.

Jschwab - if your getting strains its for other reasons...maybe warming up etc...but I know your not a newbie so there has to be something else going on there.

 

[jschwab]

It's a mechanical thing is my

It's a mechanical thing is my guess. I have athletic pubalgia (the RA muscle is detached from the bone it attaches to at its base). It seems to cause alot of instability in the opposite leg. Plus I'm lazy about massage and heat and rolling it out. If I wear calf sleeves, I don't have to work so hard. I am working on cooling down more intentionally. Warm up I am not so bad with, but not cooling down seems to trigger problems. Someone told me about foot steaming, and I might try that.

 

[AndrewGK]

I only use compression

I only use compression sleeves for my calves when they are sore. I rarely take them on runs unless I'm running 15+ miles. As just as an FYI, they really do work. At least for me. I know for sure I would have cramped on my last 20 mile run if I didn't have them on. (Yes, I know I was over-doing it; I just got into barefoot running). I have some cheap McDavid compression sleeves that I got from Sports Chalet. They work well enough, I really have nothing to complain about them. They cost me $12 a sleeve and keep my calves from cramping, what more could I want?