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I love my compression socks. When the weather starts cooling a bit, I’ll pull out my CEP graduated knee high socks and don them for my long run. Occasionally, I’ll wonder if it’s worth it, but not enough to forgo them for the sake of personal comparison. I never really did the research myself as to whether or not they made a difference in any aspect of my training, but to me it doesn’t matter. I feel more prepared and comfortable, as if putting on my compression socks triggers my brain and body to get ready for a long, hard workout.
The trouble is, there is quite a bit of conflicting evidence as to whether or not compression gear makes a difference in conditioning and/or recovery. You might be wondering the same. Is it worth laying out $50 for a good pair of socks or $150 for compression tights?
Coach Jeff at Runner’s Connect notes that there are studies that show a slight increase in VO2 Max (the measurement of how well your blood moves Oxygen to your muscles), but only very slight. He also notes that in the claims of aiding recovery, there are no truly scientific studies that can prove or disprove that claim. Information regarding recovery times are almost exclusively anecdotal, and did not provide the placebo/control group to compare data.
So, for Coach Jeff, he recommends only purchasing expensive compression gear if you have cash to burn. Yes, compression gear helps, but only slightly, and it’s not a “magic pill or secret recipe for success.” It certainly won’t hurt if you buy properly fitting gear. A running specialty store should be able to help with that.
Okay, all of this is great and everything, but what does compression gear actually do? Many compression socks nowadays are designed with “graduated compression,” which basically means there is more pressure (they are tighter) around the ankle, than they are comparatively at the upper calf. These are a clinical style sock, and were originally developed for patients with lower extremity circulation problems.
For athletes, though, it is thought that in the high impact sport of running, wearing compression socks will reduce the “muscle oscillation” (think less wiggle and bounce) in the compressed areas, thus improving efficiency and reducing fatigue. It is because of this, compression is believed by some to reduce post-exercise soreness, speeding recovery time, and allowing for greater performance gains over time. All of this is basically speculation about how athletes think compression works.
It comes down to what studies you read and what is interpreted from the research. The jury is still out as to whether or not wearing compression garments makes us significantly better athletes.
The bottom line is this. Compression does help, but it may be more psychological than physiological. If you like wearing compression gear and you think it helps your performance and/or recovery, then it probably does. Personally, I’m going to keep wearing my socks.
I would love to hear what you think about all of this. What is your experience with compression? Do you love it, or do you think it’s a lot of hooey? Please let me know what you think in the comments!
