ARE COMPRESSION SOCKS GOOD FOR YOU?
The overwhelming answer to this is YES! There is a reason why doctors prescribe compression socks for a variety of treatments, but we will get into that later. While there are hundreds of reasons to start wearing compression socks, 10 benefits really seem to stand out.
Now you may be asking, “what are compression socks? Can socks really have so many benefits?” Our compression socks utilize something calledgraduated compression and use medical grade compression to gently hug your legs and help circulation. Graduated compression is tightest at the ankle and gradually gets less tight at the knee. This compression prevents blood from pooling in the ankles and legs. Graduated compression has been around for hundreds of years and helped countless people to live in comfort. So let’s get into the benefits of compression socks!
Woman wearing VIM & VIGR Compression Socks on picnic
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF COMPRESSION SOCKS?
ENERGIZE YOUR LEGS
I mentioned before that compression socks improve blood flow through therapeutic tightness along your leg. This improvement in circulation contributes to many benefits seen all around your body! As a refresher on high school science class, blood is the vessel that oxygen travels on to get to the muscles and organs in your body. Blood circulates throughout your body to deposit oxygen where it is needed and thus refresh your muscles. Oxygen is needed by your muscles to make energy and increase ATP (energy).
Graduated compressions' whole purpose is to increase circulation, thus improving energy levels in the body. When you sit all day at a desk or stand all day on your feet, you make it harder on your body to circulate blood. Compression socks help your body to circulate more efficiently and increase energy throughout the day.
REDUCE SWELLING AND FLUID RETENTION
Another benefit of improving circulation is decreasing swelling and fluid retention. This fluid retention is medically referred to as Edema, and Doctors often prescribe compression socks for Edema.The graduated compression that we discussed before helps to support your veins. With Edema, poor circulation leads to fluids leaking from your veins into your muscles, causing swelling.
Depending on the severity of your edema, you may need to consider different levels of compression in order to treat it. Our socks come in 15-20 mmHg, 20-30 mmHg, and 30-40 mmHg. For mild edema 15-20 mmHg is recommended, for more moderate cases 20-30 mmHg. Typically, 30-40 mmHg comes at the recommendation of a doctor but has been used for Edema.
ALLEVIATE ACHINESS AND HEAVINESS
Increased circulation decreases swelling and increases blood flow, this reduces the feeling of heavy and achy legs. When your ankles and feet swell, that is their cry for help. Compression socks help to get you moving comfortably again. Plus, that gentle hug on your legs just feels good.
SUPPORT MUSCLE RECOVERY
Many athletes are no stranger to compression, in the “RICE” recovery method used by many coaches, the C is for compression! Some 65 percent of runners suffer from an injury at least once a year. The constant pounding can lead to ankle soreness, shin splints, and inflammation. Compression socks reduce the stress on your muscles during a workout or exercise and help your legs recover quicker, which is why they’re increasingly popular on a race’s starting line. They also make circulation more efficient, which can reduce muscle fatigue during a run or race. As part of a recovery strategy, compression socks also stop lactic acid from building up in tired muscles, which is why they’re also making their presence felt in cycling as a way to soothe exhausted calf muscles.
IMPROVED ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
As you can imagine, if you keep your legs free of injury, your athletic performance can improve! While being sidelined due to an injury is not the end of the world, it is difficult to train at the highest level when injured. Compression socks help to prevent injury from happening, allowing for better quality training.
On top of that, as we mentioned before, the increase in circulation from wearing compression socks helps to energize your legs by providing your muscles with more oxygen. This can help athletes of all kinds improve their fitness and reach their goals.
BETTER SLEEP QUALITY
Most people who wear compression socks roll them on during the daytime and remove them before going to bed. That’s because the socks work hardest when you’re standing but are less necessary once you’re lying down and your circulation is no longer wrestling with gravity. There are, however, some unexpected cases where compression socks at night can improve sleep. Studies have shown that compression stockings can have a modest effect on reducing sleep apnea and may also reduce the symptoms of restless leg syndrome, which can otherwise ruin a good night’s sleep. Check with a medical professional if this sounds like you since you may need a medical-grade sock with a compression level around 20 to 30 mmHg.
IMPROVED CIRCULATION FOR THOSE WHO SIT OR STAND ALL DAY
When sitting or standing for long periods of time, you allow blood to pool in your legs and ankles. Graduated compression socks, like ours, are tightest at the ankle and push blood up and through the leg even while sitting. This compression is what allows blood to not get trapped in the legs. Improved circulation is one of the many benefits of compression socks.
REDUCE AND TREAT VARICOSE VEINS
Venous insufficiency is the underlying health condition that is linked to having varicose veins. It means that your veins are unable to send blood from the limbs back to the heart, causing it to pool in the veins in your legs. This is usually caused by weakened or damaged valves within the veins.
With all the blood stuck in the veins, they become enlarged, stretching from the increased pressure. In time, this weakens the walls of the veins and further damages the valves, leading to varicose veins.
Doctors recommendcompression socks for varicose veins because they help blood to circulate throughout the leg.
SUPPORT OVERALL LEG HEALTH
As you may have put together from all the aforementioned benefits, improved circulation has a TON of benefits. Overall, blood pooling in your legs can cause an array of discomfort. Compression socks are often associated with the elderly, but they’re actually beneficial for every age group, and wearing them earlier will only help you more!
RELIEF FROM CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS
Doctors prescribe compression socks for illness such as POTS, EDS, Neuropathy, and so much more. Compression socks help each illness in a different way, and we recommend consulting your doctor for more information. But many of our customers swear by compression socks day in and day out.
"The support is absolutely AMAZING!!! When I am not feeling my best with my condition of POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) this is the pair I wear. The higher guage of 30-40 truly helps my condition. I can stay on my feet longer. The cotton compression sock is perfect. It feels good all day. No worries of my socks moving. Other brands would either fall down or the band would cut into my leg. The fit is perfect I'm a size 6 shoe and a small was made just for me. The design is perfect for just about anything I wear. Highly recommend this pair."
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