Compression Socks - A Serious Aid orJust Another Gimmick?

They are great if you are over 65 and going on a long flight. For everything else it’s all in your head.

You're less likely to conceive or catch a disease if you wear them.

I wear them mostly in cold weather to keep my lower legs warm, or as a post run recovery tool when I'm sitting around the house. I rarely wear them for running.

You 100% need them if you are going to take up Ultra "running".

Compression socks are great. Getting blood back to the heart and lungs for detoxification and oxygenation is an ongoing battle with gravity in the way! I've found that the socks help reduce some swelling in my calves and feet more than if I don't use them (mostly when I'm standing all day).

Speaking of which, I cannot rave enough about using a foot massager regularly for accomplishing the same purpose. I had some hesitancy about forking out the $ based on the higher price point but I ended up reading some reviews and taking the plunge on one of the higher end foot massager brands:

https://www.pollmed.com/best-foot-massagers/

The feeling of pulling my feet out after a long run, letting them soak and then sticking them into cozy foot sleeve pockets with some massage and heat is amazing. If I close my eyes, I can almost imagine myself being pampered at a spa :)

Always check them for poop first before putting them on.

I started pooping in them at the running stores during the Great Recession because they were too expensive

At best the evidence for them being beneficial during exercise is weak.

There can be benefits for recovery but that is not that strong either.

The best use is really on flights especially long flights.

1) What is the blood being detoxified of?

2) How do the lungs and heart detoxify?

I can see a benefit if a person is standing all day, but during exercise venous return is not going to be an issue that compression socks can help with.

Jimmy Hat wrote:

You're less likely to conceive or catch a disease if you wear them.

More precisely, you're less likely to have the opportunity to conceive or catch a disease if you wear them.

I like to wear them when my legs are especially tired or mainly when i do long runs. My legs feel better at the end of long runs when i wear them vs when i dont. I also wear them around the house for recovery or on long bus rides to meets.

So it seems that they are more of a gimmick than anything else. Kind of what I thought.

if they have been pooped in it is very soothing for your foot muscles

The weird compression sock ad is back! How does it find these threads? ?

Had chronic shin splints and ankle issues in high school and wore compression for most competitions/fast workouts. Saved me a lot of trouble.

Compression socks (not the knee highs...calf socks) are great for running in the rain. At least they are better than typical cotton socks. The water seems to flow right out of them.

I’ve been seeing a lot more sprinters wear them lately.

TheRunningTroll wrote:

I like to wear them when my legs are especially tired or mainly when i do long runs. My legs feel better at the end of long runs when i wear them vs when i dont. I also wear them around the house for recovery or on long bus rides to meets.

Yes, I wear them both during exercise and during long-standing work. I got ]good support from men's compression socks, and my calf swelling and heel pain were reduced, very obviously. I can't live without them now, or I will experience pain again.

Luv2Run wrote:The best use is really on flights especially long flights.

Long flights, 6+ hours, just get up and walk around. Easy if you have an aisle seat. A little tougher if you are in a middle or window seat. I tend to sleep on most flights so it's not much of a problem whether it's to the Gulf or Asia.