Doge

Do you wear compression socks (or?) when not cycling?

rubiksoval

No.

Doge

Have you tried?
This is not weird old people science. I know several youths doing it - and some are fairly decent pros now.

furiousferret

I did when I ran, but not for the bike.

rubiksoval

Had a pair when I was running a lot. Never felt it did anything for me.

Youth would be a group I'd really wonder why they're bothering. They recover better than most anyway.

Doge

Banned in competition for UCI.
For youth - maybe they think it is cool, but NC junior kids were doing it.
I know of more than one top 5 masters worlds guys that wear them.
I think any long race travel it makes a difference. On the plane, it was more common.
I guess you can spin out the legs without them, but I think there may be something there.

Ygduf

like tights or just socks

Doge

All - asking and stating they are used. Socks, tights, and fancy $3,000 pressure pants.
Maybe marketing gimmick, but all are used by cyclist and tri folks.

I wear the socks cause I have a desk job and it does matter, but that could be age (and I don't race, so don't count).
My kid wears tights on plane because he was told to, and says they might help. I see juniors and masters wear them hanging around venues. I have not seen the WT pros wear them. But they are being used by cyclists. Maybe <10%... but used.

McBTC

That's to speed recovery by assisting the heart in getting the blood full of lactic acid and other metabolites out of your legs after vigorous exercise. First I heard of it was a tri-guy. I used'm following knee surgery -- following a doctor's advice -- to help reduce swelling when I didn't care about looking like a geek. Sort of like the benefit of icing and elevating the legs. You're not supposed to sleep in them but some folks exercise it them. Best pair I found (full leg length) was from MOJO. Don't know anything about the motorized compression socks except that if you're serious about it, that's what you want to do after running.

mattm

I've considered it when flying to race, but besides that no.

topflightpro

I have a pair. I think I wore them once. I should probably use them more.

Doge

They do something with the lymph system and keep the skin a little thinner - even in youth (edema). A tight band (loose tourniquet) around the upper calve will prevent lower swelling in travel too which is why those calve socks work while exposing the ankles. What they do internally with blood in youth, not sure of anything. For older definitely keep the blood swelling reduced. Serena Williams had a pulmonary embolism (link below) and a suggestion was compression socks.

For racing/racers - I thought they might cut a few hours in getting ready. So for example on a long 5+ hour flight it might take a day to shake out the legs before the race. The tight/socks seem to speed that up.

"About 85 percent of air travel thrombosis victims are athletic, usually endurance-type athletes like marathoners. People with slower resting blood flow are at greater risk of stasis, stagnant blood subject to clotting. ..."
from https://www.legsmart.com/blogs/resou...ssion-everyday

Small sample but here is a conclusion. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15099316

Also on pulmonary embolism prevention. https://www.legsmart.com/blogs/resou...onary-embolism

rubiksoval

What is it about flying that messes up circulation or the legs?

Doge

As above there are two things going on.
Under the skin level lymph system.
Circulation/blood flow.

I think it is just lack/minimized movement - travel, desk job, standing. I don't quite understand the lower HR having anything to do with it. Lower HR does not mean lower blood flow, just a bigger stroke in the pump. But it is associated with athletes that travel more than normal folks.

I don't see most these conditions as just age related, although more afflictions affect the older. More movement related.
From https://www.legsmart.com/blogs/resou...sion-stockings

Edema: Edema is an abnormal accumulation of bodily fluid beneath the skin that produces swelling. Medi compression garments can be used to help treat edema, as they discourage the accumulation of fluid.

Thrombosis: Thrombosis is a medical condition in which a blood clot forms in a vein, adheres to the vein walls and blocks the flow of blood. The term thrombus is synonymous with blood clot. Thrombosis can be especially dangerous because the clot can dislodge and cause serious problems in the heart or lungs.

Varicose veins: This term refers to distended, swollen and/or inflamed veins caused by venous weakness, disorders or even disease. Compression socks can help prevent and minimize varicose veins in the legs.

Lymphedema: Swelling caused by the accumulation of lymph fluid in the tissues (usually arms, legs and feet).

rubiksoval

Alright. Strange it's always touted for air travel, when most people are just driving to races. I drive up to 8 hours a couple of times a year to races, but have never flown.

Doge

For this and other reasons as well took kid by train and car to nationals in WI and KY - rather than fly. Always feet up.
And riding in the train, but you saw those videos right?

Europe - required. I can't even tell you what it is like without.

ancker

I wear them on almost every flight I do.

My legs are noticeably less 'heavy' the day after I fly. Obviously the longer the flight(s) the more pronounced the difference.

If total flight time is less than 3-4 hours, it's less worth it based on my unscientific experiences.

Never considered for driving. Maybe I will start as I've definitely had heavy legs after a longer drive.

Tyrell

I fly overseas pretty regularly for my job. Compression socks definitely help with the heavy/swollen legs. I can certainly tell a difference when I wear them vs. when I don't.

CliffordK

How about one of these instead?

https://www.amazon.com/DeskCycle-Exe.../dp/B00B1VDNQA



Keep the blood circulating

Doge

I was asking for a racer.

Radish_legs

Does anyone use Normatec? If so, is it helpful?

Doge

I was told they did. But primarily race recovery for back to back stage races. This was/is that that was not normally something that was done. In VOS only the first day mattered. In Europe travel and harassment would make it difficult and they had massage. So only time they would have been used would be like Sea Otter and used ice baths (that really work) for that.

Used to be about $2K+. Now less https://www.amazon.com/Rapid-Reboot-...NormaTec&psc=1

Radish_legs

air relax is less than $400.

Doge

I mentioned above, but forgot. ICE Baths seem to really work for recovery when next day is racing. Learned about this from soccer tournaments.
That night after the event - hotel room fill tub about 8" with water add a bucket or so of ice, turn up the heat and put a parka on and sit in the tub for ~10 min. Warm up and repeat as an option. Keep feet up.

Radish_legs

I have a friend with a cryotherapy business. I haven't tried it yet. But I've become a big believer in icing for tendinitis. The cycle of cold and warm gets more blood into the joint. And helps with healing. At least that's my theory.

I don't know that I could tolerate ice baths. But I'm certainly thinking about the compression. I'm tired of legs feeling tired and heavy all the time.