7 Benefits of Wearing Compression Garments
There is a huge variety of compression garments out there, each with its own intended purpose. From compression shorts for athletes to compression socks and tights to help with medical issues, these types of garments can offer enormous benefits for a huge number of people. If you’ve considered purchasing compression garments, but weren’t sure if they were right for you, consider these 7 benefits of different types of compression clothing.
Improving Athletic Performance
Compression shorts and other types of compression clothing designed for exercise can actually improve your athletic performance. How? Recent studies have suggested that compression shorts can:
- Reduce muscle fatigue during workouts
- Lower your level of perceived exertion
- Increase power and jumping ability
- Help improve oxygen flow to your muscles
These three factors can have an enormous impact on your overall athletic performance. Plus, they offer less friction and chaffing as you move, and provide you with some extra support, making them more comfortable than other athletic clothing options. So, if you’re a serious athlete, compression gear could be a good investment for you.
Decreasing Athletic Injuries and Improving Recovery
In addition to helping your performance during exercise, compression garments can also help with your recovery. Various studies have shown that wearing compression clothing during exercise can help you to recover more quickly from strenuous exercise, including resistance-based workouts like weightlifting. Compression gear can also help to reduce your muscle soreness post-workout. And, that extra support and improved oxygen flow can also reduce your risk of straining a muscle during exercise.
Reducing and Preventing Varicose Veins
Compression socks and compression tights are often a prescribed treatment for those suffering from varicose veins. This is because these types of stockings gently squeeze your lower legs, encouraging the blood to return your heart. This reduces the aching and swelling associated with varicose veins, and can even reduce their appearance.
Many women develop varicose veins during pregnancy, so wearing compression stockings throughout your pregnancy can help to prevent the development of varicose veins. Plus, they can help to reduce the swelling in your legs and feet that most women get later in pregnancy.
Treating Leg Ulcers
If you have an ulcer on your leg—typically on the lower leg, around the ankle—the first step in treating it is to keep it clean and prevent infection. The next step is to wear compression socks or stockings. Typically, you want a strong elastic and graded compression stocking for this type of treatment; these will help to accelerate the healing process so you can get back to normal more quickly.
Treating Lymphoedema after Surgery
Lymphoedema typically develops after surgeries connected with cancer treatment. If a lymph node is removed during the surgery, this may impact how fluids drain from the limbs. For example, after breast cancer surgery, many patients suffer from lymphedema in the arm. Wearing a compression sleeve can help fluid return to the heart, which reduces swelling and pain, as well as preventing other complications.
Preventing and Treating DVT
If you’ve had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the past, or you are considered to be at high risk of developing one, you should wear compression tights or socks any time you’re going to be immobile for an extended period of time, such as when travelling. This can help to prevent the development of a DVT.
If you’ve recently had a DVT, you should be wearing compression stockings every day for at least two years afterwards; you may also need to wear them at night, if your doctor recommends it. In these cases, it is best to get professionally fitted compression socks.
Helping Tired, Achy Legs
You don’t need to be an athlete or have a medical condition to benefit from compression garments. Simply being on your feet a lot, and being prone to tired, achy legs is a reason to wear compression socks or tights. Much of the discomfort you experience after being on your feet all day is due to the pooling of blood in your legs. Compression stockings or support tights can gently squeeze your legs, preventing that congestion in the veins and reducing your leg pain and discomfort.
People across all walks of life can benefit from wearing compression garments, whether they’re an avid athlete, a patient recovering from a medical condition or surgery, or simply someone who is on their feet for most of their day. If you want to reap any of the benefits mentioned above, come by and check out our inventory of compression garments today.