10 Reasons to Wear Compression Socks

Regardless of your age or interests, the health of your legs can have a huge impact on your day. Muscle strains can slow anyone down, and poor circulation can lead to some very serious health problems. While everyone faces different challenges when it comes to fitness, compression socks offer solutions to a variety of ailments. Here are 10 reasons why you should have at least one pair of compression socks in your dresser.

How do compression socks work? What do they do?

1. Reduces soreness and cramps in legs and feet

At the end of a long day, your feet will be sore and your legs will feel like jelly. Some days you have time to soak in the tub to recuperate, and some days you have to go straight to cooking, picking up kids, and all the other adult activities that keep you from aching limbs.

As wonderful as a bath sounds, you don't need to spend an hour in the tub to help your legs and feet feel better. Compression stockings offer a similar treatment, getting blood flowing so oxygen can help these muscles repair. Improving the loop is the quickest way to get back on track.

For people who stand all day, compression stockings can ward off pain even before it starts. Nurses, bartenders, teachers, dentists, flight attendants, and others who work standing up most of the time will all benefit from constant stress as they go about their business. If the blood continues to flow, then it is easier for you to continue.

2. Improve athletic performance

High-intensity exercise puts a lot of stress on your muscles. As the workout progresses, the torn muscle fibers use oxygen for fuel and leave small deposits of lactic acid in their path. This acid buildup can cause the post-workout pain you already know so well.

By using compression stockings, you can improve circulation, increase blood flow, and prevent lactic acid from precipitating and causing discomfort. You also get fresh oxygenated blood for those hungry, overworked muscles as more fluid passes through and processes the lactose. Have you ever seen those pro athletes in compression gear? It's not just for style (even though they're super stylish).

3. Reduce swelling and edema

When your blood circulation is blocked for any reason, fluid starts to build up in your feet and ankles, causing uncomfortable swelling. Almost all pregnant women deal with edema because their bodies retain a lot of extra fluid as their baby develops. Whatever the cause of swollen feet, compression stockings support healthy blood flow and greatly reduce this uncomfortable buildup.

For years, bedridden patients and those with swollen legs associated with other health problems were instructed by doctors to wear compression stockings. This has created an enduring stigma that is finally shaken as more fit people use compression socks to reduce swelling and stay active. Instead of waiting for the doctor's order, go buy your own socks and take care of your body.

4. Reduces the risk of blood clots and deep vein thrombosis

When people sit for long periods of time, the likelihood of developing blood clots in the lower legs increases greatly. Long-haul flights further increase the risk, making the threat of dangerous conditions such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism very real.

Most people have to sit in front of a computer to work, and you can't very well ask a pilot to drive faster on your national trip. When you have no choice but to sit down, compression stockings step in and move for you. Progressive compression prevents blood from building up in your lower extremities when you're watching a movie at 30,000 feet or spending 8 hours pouring on an Excel sheet. Improved blood circulation fights blood clotting and helps you avoid the tingling sensation you get after sitting in a chair for too many hours.

For those previously diagnosed with DVT, compression stockings can provide excellent therapeutic and preventative care. Stable circulation can help prevent serious problems, while also treating the more immediate swelling and pain caused by blood clots.

5. Prevent Varicose Veins and Spider Veins

In most cases, varicose veins are not dangerous. They are mostly seen as inevitable signs of aging and pregnancy side effects. However, as common as they are, in many cases these problems can be avoided.

Varicose veins develop when poor circulation prevents blood from flowing back to the heart. As the stagnant fluid pools in the veins, they become enlarged and become those familiar raised lines. It's not a matter of your veins being too big for your legs. It's just a matter of making sure you keep your blood flowing so your veins don't have to grow to accommodate the buildup. Not surprisingly, compression can have a huge impact when dealing with these types of vein problems.

While varicose veins are commonly experienced by older adults, younger generations are less clear. Although they are usually harmless, congested veins can leak and cause swelling of the surrounding tissue. In some cases, damaged veins can lead to blood clots. Compression and circulation help address cosmetic concerns and potential health risks, and are excellent for young and old varicose veins patients.

6. Increases Muscle Stability

While blood flow helps muscles do their job, your calf does a lot more than any vein. The impact of each step during walking or jogging causes muscle tremors, and this repetitive vibration is a big reason why your legs start to wear down.

By putting pressure on the muscles, the lateral movement is lowered and your legs don't have to work as hard. This is especially noticeable for people running on sidewalks. The combination of reduced movement and increased blood flow will make your legs feel fresher and your workouts last longer.

7. Speed ​​up recovery time

If you're going to exercise, you have to plan for at least a little bit of pain. After all, muscles have to be torn to get stronger, so a certain level of injury is a given. However, there are a lot of inconvenient pains and pressures that can get in the way of your exercise routine, and compression stockings can avoid or reduce them. Some common names on the injured compression list can help:

plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can affect athletes and anyone who spends a lot of time in the vicinity every day. When the plantar tendons are overworked, severe pain can be felt with almost every step. Because the cause of fasciitis is inflammation, compression stockings can combat this by improving circulation and drawing more blood to the inflamed area.

Tibial splint

Almost every runner has dealt with or knows about shin splints. This condition is characterized by swelling and inflammation of the inner calf muscles along the shinbone, often the result of the accumulated stress from exercise. Compression stockings both reduce swelling and stabilize and support the calf and shin muscles.

Calf strain or sprain

Just take an awkward step or a quick jump to strain your calf. Once you have a sprain or strain, your body will continue to pump fluid into the injured area until the tear heals. While healing is good, the associated swelling and tenderness won't make your leg feel too hot. Compression quickly removes deoxygenated blood and replaces it with fresh blood, limiting swelling and making the healing process faster.

Ankle sprain or strain

Unlike calf injuries, ankle sprains make weight bearing more difficult. This can leave you trapped in a bed or recliner, which means you're waiting for the swelling to subside while actively reducing circulation. Compression stockings help blood flow like when you're able to stand and walk, speeding up your recovery without forcing you to actually move and potentially injure yourself again.

Compression stockings during or after exercise

8. Prevent injuries

A quick recovery from an injury is good, but it's much better not to get hurt in the first place. Compression stockings are just as effective—if not better—when used as preventive care.

Massive injuries occur when the body is fatigued, and muscles become tense after overuse. Compression socks or sleeves can help reduce excess muscle movement and add control you might lack during a 10-mile race.

Chronic inflammation can also lead to unfortunate injuries, as excessive swelling can cause tissues and joints to not function properly. Rinsing off the liquid will keep the object moving and functioning properly. This improved circulation provides the best preventative care, allowing a steady flow of blood and oxygen to your muscles, allowing them to perform at high levels without overworking them.

9. Treatment of chronic diseases

Chronic diseases develop as injuries increase and the body wears out. Too often, people see these aches and pains as a reality of aging, and just a little TLC (via a comfortable pair of compression socks) can turn things around and put you back on the road to health.

Many long-lasting conditions are associated with valves not properly returning blood from the extremities to the heart. These conditions can cause swelling and occasionally ulcers, both of which people are willing to deal with but would rather not have. Compression improves circulation so that blood stops pooling in the legs and flows all the way back to the heart for recovery and proper use.

People with chronic blood clotting tend to make changes to their lifestyle to reduce the risk of blood clots. Given how dangerous a detached clot can be, it's important to take every precaution. Because compression stockings increase circulation throughout vital parts of the body, simply wearing them can greatly reduce the chance of blood clots.

Regular use of compression stockings helps people avoid surgery and return to an active lifestyle. If you've been dealing with pain and letting it affect your lifestyle, compression socks may be the perfect solution.

10. Few Cons

Unlike other devices, treatments, and procedures, it's hard to find faults with a good pair of compression socks. While wearing them may take a little getting used to, you'll start to experience this feeling very quickly once you notice improved circulation and less swelling.

The best way to avoid any problems with socks is to wear them properly. When they start to clump, whether it's because they're worn out or not pulled up in the right way, then the compression socks don't work properly and can adversely affect blood circulation. It's easy to fix though - just make sure to pull the socks up so they slip through the legs smoothly.

You might expect more warnings for something so useful, but it doesn't. Compression stockings are safe to wear and can help treat a variety of ailments. They might also level up your style game, with a variety of colors and patterns. Few things have so many advantages and so few disadvantages, but that's the case with compression socks, which is exactly why you need to own a pair.