For this week’s Fartlek Friday, I wanted to talk a little about compression socks. Many runners love their compression socks, and for good reason! Especially with all the cute varieties available. Here’s why you should wear compression socks to help recover from hard workouts!
I used to wear compression socks a lot more than I do now. Especially back when I was training for marathons. Mentally, I felt like they would help my legs recover faster from hard efforts. Now I mostly where them when I run during the spring and fall when it’s too cold for just shorts and too warm for tights or capris.
Sometimes after a long run or hard workout I will wear them around the house. Or if I’m actually leaving the house, and wearing boots, I will throw on a pair. I did some research to see how much compression socks actually help with recovery. Here’s what I found.
Research on compression gear
A 2016 review in PubMed suggests that by “wearing compression clothing, runners may improve variables related to endurance performance (i.e., time to exhaustion) slightly, due to improvements in running economy, biomechanical variables, perception, and muscle temperature. They should also benefit from reduced muscle pain, damage, and inflammation.”
A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning looked at whether below-knee compression garments worn for 48 hours following marathon running benefit functional recovery. The data showed that the group wearing compression gear fully recovered from the marathon while the placebo group did not. There was actually an improvement in the treadmill tests of the group wearing the compression gear, while there was a decline in the test of the placebo group.
A 2019 study in PubMed showed that “wearing sports compression socks during high intensity running has a positive impact on subsequent running performance. The underlying mechanism of such performance enhancement remains unclear, but may relate to improved oxygen delivery, reduced muscle oscillation, superior running mechanics and athlete beliefs”.
Wear Compression Socks To Help Recover From Hard Workouts
As with anything else, you need to find what works for you. I’ve always thought of compression gear as something that has the potential to be high-reward and low-risk. If you’re training hard and struggling with recovery, it may be worth trying to wear some compression gear, especially following a hard run!
You may also like:
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Do you find that compression gear helps with your recovery?
If you wear compression socks do you wear them while you run, after, or both?
I’m linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday!
Compression is great for recovery! I tried compression socks when I ran–I didn’t find them to make a difference. But they do look good!
Agreed- when I run with them its more for keeping warm than anything else!
I always wear compression when I run. The only exception is when it is really hot and humid.
I started when I broke my ankle and haven’t stopped.
They also keep my legs warm in the winter and the spring and fall when I start wearing a skirt
They are perfect for keeping warm during those in-between temperatures!
I do wear compression socks when the weather is cooler — or colder! — on the run. Since I usually include a cool down walk, I wear them a bit for recovery, too. I think compression socks are great!
Although when I first started to have Achilles pain, in the summer, I bought a lot of shorter compression socks. I didn’t find them so helpful on the run, but they helped when I wore them post run.
It seems like they may be better post run, so that makes sense. I do notice if my calves are sore and I wear compression socks after a run that they seem to help.
When I was a new runner, my calves used to feel so sore and compression socks helped a lot. I have kind of fallen away from them since then. As you say, can’t hurt and may help!
I don’t think they get as much hype as they used to, but they can still be really beneficial! I’m going to try to start wearing them again more when I think of it.
I’m a fan of compression gear! I use both compression socks and shorts for recovery – I think it helps!
I haven’t had compression shorts in a long time! I should look into getting another pair!
I used to wear compression socks a lot more than I do now. I just got out of the habit. I do still wear them for races and on airplanes. I should wear them to help my circulation with my long days sitting in front of my computer — I sit just as long as I do on a flight!
That’s a good idea! I actually broke out my St. Patricks day ones this Wednesday and wore them while I worked from home.
Like you, I haven’t worn my compression socks in awhile, because I’m not running high mileage or doing intense workouts. I swear by them for marathon training recovery and on long flights though!
Oh yes they are so good on long flights! I remember wearing them after I ran a marathon and then flew to Hawaii. I don’t think I would have made it without them!
I have never owned a pair of compression socks, but now I want to try them. They do look super cute!
You should definitely give them a try! There are so many different styles and they really can help with lower leg soreness.
I’ve never wanted to wear compression socks while running because it’s usually so warm (hot) here that I think it would be uncomfortable. But I should try them out for recovery! Most people seem to think they help.
I don’t really like running in them when its really hot out either. But yes, they can be really good for recovery!
I have a couple of Lily Trotters compression socks. I wear them mostly when I wear shorts and need something to warm up my legs. 🙂 I can’t say for sure if they help 100% with recovery but my legs have felt better wearing them after a long run.
It’s hard to know for sure if something that works. But it can’t hurt, right?!
I’ve worn compression socks on long drives home after a half before but I find them uncomfortable. Their usually too tight on my feet/toes.
That’s too bad! I wonder if maybe there is another brand that would work better for you.