Compression socks - do they work?

I love them for air travel or anytime when I have to be sitting for a long time. I have a standing desk in my office, so I don't use them daily, but if I have to go to a seminar or if I'm in court and I'm the last case arguing that day, then I'll wear them.

Seriously? The guy ended up running arguably the race of his life with a specialty accessory just as an ad gimmick? I understand they may have no effect at all, or a placebo effect, but I'm surprised that an elite runner would agree to wear them for no reason other than money. Wouldn't he have worried that they might have some sort of detrimental effect on his running?

Sockie wrote:

Whatever floats your boat, but Solinsky was wearing them for one reason: ad dollars.

During runs, I won't wear them. I do wear them after hard runs to try to promote blood flow, or during work when I have a workout in the evening. Gives me a little more support at work. I am also very picky about which socks I wear. I want proper gradation of pressure. Nothing less than 15mm of mercury. I'll shell out more for the good stuff instead of half-arsing it.

If you are prone to tightness, wear proper clothing (Pants or tights when it is balls cold out), and do some warmup exercises prior to harder running. Warm-up exercises can be running drills, calisthenics related to the legs, and even just running very slowly.

I know it sounds goofy, but you can't expect being at a desk job all day and then hit the pavement running hard at 5pm.

Doesn't sound goofy. Thanks. My challenge is mornings, actually: six or seven hours' sleep then out at 6:30am for a ten-miler. No matter how slowly I start I think it takes its toll on the calves.

John Clendon wrote:

I know it sounds goofy, but you can't expect being at a desk job all day and then hit the pavement running hard at 5pm.

Yes, but if I were you I would wash them first.

You people do realize the OP is an LR employee who started the thread and keeps replying so click bait ads for CEP Compression Socks will keep appearing as they have for me?

No, I'm not. And I'm as annoyed as you that now all I see on here are ads for compression socks and for some product that has a slogan, "Still living with calf pain?" Big brother indeed...

Click Bait. wrote:

You people do realize the OP is an LR employee who started the thread and keeps replying so click bait ads for CEP Compression Socks will keep appearing as they have for me?

Sock it to me wrote:

No, I'm not. And I'm as annoyed as you that now all I see on here are ads for compression socks and for some product that has a slogan, "Still living with calf pain?" Big brother indeed...

Click Bait. wrote:

You people do realize the OP is an LR employee who started the thread and keeps replying so click bait ads for CEP Compression Socks will keep appearing as they have for me?

Anyway, don't waste your money.

No proven benefit for running

My great great grandmother wears them and hasn't dropped over dead of a blood clot yet so I would say they work.

Saved my season from shin splints. I live in mine, I sleep in them, run in them, wear them to school.

Get Zensah Sleeves.

Sock it to me wrote:

Strained my soleus and am coming back slowly--3 miles easy today. Would compression socks actually help minimize the risk of hurting myself again?

Everyone seems more focused on the performance benefits. Here is my take on the injury aspect of your question. For me, a nagging injury became a calf strain just before a marathon. Even though I don't usually run in them, I put on KT tape with compression over and survived the full 26.2. Don't ignore the other principles of recovery or risk greater injury but the extra support seemed to help me just get through.

Honestly I think it's all just the placebo effect. I've worn them in races and I feel like it did absolutely nothing useful for me. I guess it's what makes a runner feel comfortable, which can absolutely vary from runner to runner. But for me personally I don't really think it helped much.

I finally tried a pair of Zensah calf sleeves in June. I'd had a long string of one thing after another--mostly shin splints but some Achilles--since Jan. 2015. As a former D1 runner (not a great one, but still) I was fed up enough that it was worth the $35 to give them a try after a running acquaintance or 2 suggested them after hearing about my year and a half of trouble. Of course I don't know what would have happened without them, and I've still had a little Achilles pain in the meantime, but I'm up to my highest week (still low) since Jan 2015, except for 1 week last Dec. that was barely higher.

I resisted partly because it seems gimmicky or because it has looked to me like others were buying them just to try to look like they were really into running. Any help they've given me might be partly just keeping my calves warm, who knows, but I think they're worth a try if you've been having lower leg troubles.

I got the sleeves instead of the socks partly because I didn't want to wear them out quickly in the toe, or have to wash them all the time. I also didn't want to mess with any change in socks that might cause a change in shoe fit, sliding, or blisters.

As for your calf, if you aren't already I'd suggest doing eccentric calf "raises."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2GgSoHvIXo

I've heard about them several places, but a somewhat nationally known Masters runner I know hurt his calf a few years ago and would do them after each run and he said it helped him. I'd probably suggest doing double-leg "raises" (lowers, really) of a set of 5, 7 the next day, then 10. Provided that goes well, then go one-legged at 5 a day, then 7, then 10. From day 7 on do 10 each leg a day until you feel better. He said one key was not to think that more was better. A set of 10 on each leg a day was good. I've also gone too crazy in going too low and put too much strain on the Achilles. So go beyond horizontal but don't kill it. Good luck!

Sock it to me wrote:

Mid-50s and running a half marathon in a few weeks. Strained my soleus and am coming back slowly--3 miles easy today. Would compression socks actually help minimize the risk of hurting myself again? I know, I know, I could post this question on the Runner's World forum while shopping for a fuel belt. but heck, Solinsky broke 27:00 wearing them--what was his main reason for them?

There are 2 thoughts to their benefits. The first is that they were thought to circulate more oxygen throughout your body. I'm not sold on that. The second thought is they help to reduce mescle soreness. That I do buy into. In 2015 I ran Houston which is run entirely on concrete. There was absolutley no musclw soreness in my calves after the race. Pretty amazing.

I developed a deep calf pain last Thursday that I've never had before. I think it's in combination to running and starting to lift a little bit starting about a month ago. I've always been an avid lifter, but stopped for a while and must've overdone my calves or something.

So, as I was browsing through Letsrun, I saw this thread so I decided to give the compression socks a try to recover as I had half marathon on Sunday. I wore the compression socks almost all of Friday and I think it really helped to heal quicker. I was able to run the half marathon without any calf issues.

However, I decided to not wear the compression socks during the race because I've noticed that when I wear them, I have slight lower back pain maybe from constricting my legs too much. So, I'm not sure if compression socks is something that I can wear all the time, but I'm going to wear it sparingly and will try them on for shorter runs as well to see how they keep my legs fresh, but I'm worried about my lower back pain from the socks.

For me, it is working. I recently added training programs, my legs are always uncomfortable, and the doctor advised me to use compression socks. I bought three pairs of men's compression socks, and now my legs are a little more comfortable. If you need some, you can look at other brand comparisons: https://www.gearhunder.com/best-compression-socks-for-men/

Not sure how often you travel, but they actually do wonders for plane flights. They prevent feet swelling and keep blood circulating during the flight. If you ever fly to a race somewhere I highly advise investing, helped me a bunch.

-Oval Office Track Correspondent

Why not alleviate your calf issues with rolling? I highly recommend "The Battlestar" made by Rogue fitness. It is well worth the money.