Do compression garments runners and other athletes wear make a difference in health or performance?

Walk into any running store, or athletic apparel store and you will see many types of compression garments which are supposed to help increase and improve circulation, recovery time and even some claim they may prevent some injuries. Others, are using the same concepts as proprioceptive tape to improve running performance. The question is, do they actually help improve the way you feel and function.

The Washington Post explores this popular trend in compression gear and looks past the hype, and the high prices that go with it to see if these garments really work. Since we are close to the holiday’s, it is possible your special someone may be purchasing this product for you.

Read the article here

Is compression gear on your holiday wish list? Read this first.

y Lenny Bernstein, Published: December 4

It seems that you can’t head to a gym or run down your favorite trail these days without finding someone wearing compression garments. Weekend warriors and elite athletes alike are squeezing themselves into knee-high socks, tights and even full bodysuits that promise to improve performance and speed recovery from hard workouts.

Those claims might be true. Or they might not be. A good bit of research has been conducted on the effectiveness of compression gear, and the results are inconclusive.

Two Indiana University studies released in 2010, for example, found no impact on running performance when highly trained distance runners were outfitted with lower leg “sleeves,” and no effect on jumping ability when 25 average guys wore upper leg compression garments in three different sizes.

Yet Canadian researchers concluded in a 2012 study that compression socks improved blood flow to calves and “may enhance performance, especially in sports that require repeated short bouts of exercise.”