The Effectiveness of Compression Socks for Athletic Performance and Recovery

Abstract

Clinical Scenario: The popularity of compression socks has increased substantially among athletes, particularly those participating in endurance events such as running and triathlon. Companies are increasingly marketing compression stockings to runners, triathletes, and other endurance athletes for the benefits of improved performance and/or decreased recovery time. Originally developed for the treatment of deep-vein thrombosis, compression socks are now marketed as a tool to improve venous return, thus believed to improve both performance and recovery in athletes. The use of compression socks during training aims to help the skeletal-muscle pump, increase deep venous velocity, and/or decrease blood pooling in the calf veins and alleviate delayed-onset muscle soreness. The scenario is a 28-y-old recreational triathlete seeking your advice while training for her first half-Ironman. She occasionally complains of tightness in the calves both during and after running. She wants your opinion on the effectiveness of using compression socks to help her performance and recovery. Focused Clinical Question: What is the effectiveness of using graduated compression socks for improving athletic performance and decreasing recovery time in healthy endurance athletes?Keywords: athlete, cyclist, runner, stocking, triathlete Clinical ScenarioThe popularity of compression socks has increased substantially among athletes, particularly those participating in endurance events such as running and triathlon. Companies are increasingly marketing compression stockings for runners, triathletes, and other endurance athletes for the benefits of improved performance and/or decreased recovery time. Originally developed for the treatment of deep-vein thrombosis, compression socks are now marketed as a tool to improve venous return, thus believed to improve both performance and recovery in athletes. The use of compression socks during training aims to help the skeletal-muscle pump, 1 increase deep venous velocity, and/or decrease blood pooling in the calf veins 2 and alleviate delayed-onset muscle soreness. 3 The scenario is a 28-year-old recreational triathlete seeking your advice while training for her first half-Ironman. She occasionally complains of tightness in her calves both during and after running. She wants your opinion on the effectiveness of using compression socks to help her performance and recovery. Focused Clinical QuestionWhat is the effectiveness of using graduated compression socks (GCS) for improving athletic performance and decreasing recovery time in healthy endurance athletes? Summary of Search, "Best Evidence Appraised,"and Key Findings• The literature was searched for studies with level 1b evidence or higher and a PEDro score of 6 or higher that investigated the effect of compression socks on athletic performance and/or recovery.• The initial literature search returned 17 possible studies related to compression socks; 4 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included. • No differences in the physiological variables...

Knee‐high compression socks minimize head‐up tilt‐induced cerebral and cardiovascular responses following dynamic exercise

“…While exercise greatly increases core and skin temperature, passive heating does not accurately represent other vasodilatory phenomenon present after exercise that may contribute to the effects observed in the present study . Regardless of their efficacy, the popularity of CS is evident at both amateur and professional levels of sport . Athletes are at especially high risk for syncopal events due to abnormal peripheral vascular regulation .…”

“…30 Regardless of their efficacy, the popularity of CS is evident at both amateur and professional levels of sport. 31 Athletes are at especially high risk for syncopal events due to abnormal peripheral vascular regulation. 6,27 Our results suggest that compression socks could have the potential clinical utility to reduce the incidence of post-exercise orthostatic syncope in such vulnerable populations.…”

Rehabilitation of patients with venous diseases of the lower limbs: State of the art

“…It seems that elastic stockings have a positive effect on muscle recovery associated to a greater comfort. 49 Even if no study has scientifically evaluated the protective role of elastic stockings in athletes with venous diseases of the lower limbs, the use of elastic stockings by venous patients also during sports activities may be included in lifestyle suggestions.…”

Relationship between Kinesiotaping and compression wear for postural balance in healthy men: a cross-sectional study

“…Since performance is a complex mixture of biomechanical function, emotional factors, and training technique, it is influenced by a combination of physiological, psychological, and socio-cultural fac-tors [1,2]. To engage in the aforementioned sports an athlete should have the maximum level of fitness in terms of aerobic endurance, strength, power, speed, agility and flexibility [3,4]. The athlete must ensure his/her fitness before entering into a competition.…”