Improve Your Post-Run Recovery with Compression Socks

Whether you’re training for a marathon or your first 5K, you’ll want to perform your best. You will also want to avoid any downtime while training. Eating well, staying hydrated, and performing some dynamic warm-up exercises are important in this regard. The right running shoes can also make a difference. You might also want to consider…compression socks. For many runners, these have become an essential item to maximize their running results.

Understanding Circulation in Your Legs

To appreciate how compression socks can help your post-run recovery, you first need to understand some basic physiology. Your heart pumps oxygenated blood throughout your body, including your legs. But while your arteries supply your legs with oxygen-rich blood, your veins must return blood back to the heart. If your veins are unable to keep up, then you may have problems with your circulation. This can lead to things like swelling, cramps, fatigue and even muscle soreness. All of this can delay recovery after a run. 

How Do Compression Socks Work?

Compression socks (or compression sleeves) are made of an elastic material that squeezes your lower legs. The compression helps your veins push blood back to the heart making your circulation more efficient. This not only allows more oxygenated blood to get to your legs, but it also helps your working muscles. By improving circulation, lactic acid is removed quicker from muscle tissues. And this greatly improves your recovery time after a run. 

The Benefits of Compression Socks

Understanding how compression stockings work, makes it easier to appreciate how they help you perform and recover after a run. First of all, you’ll naturally perform better as more oxygen is able to reach your leg muscles. Increased oxygen supply will also reduce your level of fatigue during the run while making cramps less likely. At the same time, removing lactic acid from muscle tissues reduces cramps. And the less lactic acid that you have in the muscles when you finish, the less sore you will be. These effects help you perform better while running, and they also shorten your recovery after a run. 

Getting the Right Pair of Compression Socks

Compression socks come in different styles and levels of compression. Compression sleeves, which are worn only between the ankle and knee, are also popular. Your own personal preferences play a role in choosing the right pair. However, you don’t want to get a pair that is too tight since this could actually limit circulation to your muscles. And a pair that is too loose may provide limited benefit. If you are purchasing on-line, take time to review the sizing chart. This will better ensure you get compression stockings that will work well for you. 

Give Compression Socks a Try!

If you’ve attended any races in the last several years, you’ve likely noticed how popular compression socks have become. Those who wear them appreciate the many benefits they offer. They swear that they recover faster after a run. And many even report they have fewer injuries since they began wearing them. If you’re looking to improve your running performance and shorten your recovery after a run, then give them a try. They might just be the edge you’ve been looking for!

Want to give compression socks a try? Together with our friends at PRO Compression, we are providing 50% off their entire selection of compression socks and sleeves!

Go to https://procompression.com/pages/virtualwhm to get 50% off your order!