Compression socks - fad or function?
 

How do you feel about compression socks? Do you wear them after a race or hard workout? Knee highs, thigh or whole leggings? Just a fad?

Thoughts or comments?

A little of each...

my legs do feel better quicker if I wear them after hard workouts.

knee high. for the past +/- 4 years.

Thigh high. Then I just need to toss on a dress and I am ready to go out in my heels after races.

http://youfail.com/blog/wp-content/u...dy-socks22.jpg

I kind of prefer ice baths.

^^ Confusing.

er... anyway. I see a few top riders here wear them when doing 2-3 day omniums. I've questioned getting some. But money is real tight right now. So I use ice as well.

Everyone T superweek was wearing them before the events.

what's the difference between these and skins tights?

Fad. Recent research shows that ice baths and compression tights dull your sensations but, in fact, slow your recovery because the reduce your circulation. Your legs need that circulation to flush and repair your leg muscles.

Research shows that massage and treatments with things like the Normatec MVP increase recovery by promoting blood flow.

And let me guess, you're the inventor of Normatec MVP...ya gotta nice machine there, but, you should post prices online...

This:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABP...2004277196.jpg

or this:

http://www.problempresents.com/cms_i...0stockings.jpg

bump

skin tights?

n.b. - not a huge fan of competitive cyclists reviews (i've seen them make too much sheeyit up in the past), but they do have plenty of links to various studies in this review.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/ro...ocks.1067.html

n.b. ?

must have picked it up from the clogs.

n.b.

No. I coach. They _are_ expensive but there are nothing else like it out there.

At this point who doesn't?

I've been doing it for 5 years and I don't race against the athletes I coach. That makes me pretty unique, no?

If you didn't just open Friel's book and create programs that would make you really unique.

Started using my 2XU's about a month ago and they seem to help a little. Biggest help I have noticed is wearing them to races that are 1+ hours or more away. My legs tend to get stiff driving in the car so these seem to make them feel much better when I get to the race. I also were them on the way home for similar reasons. All that said have not seen any crazy performance increase from them.

For races, I were them 1.5+ hours or more in advanced and take them off when I start my warm-up. I always put them right on after races along with training (I dont wear them before training).

I currently roll them right below the knee as it can cause some discomfort on the back of the knee when your legs are bent.

Note: If you do get them be prepared for the comments/questions to follow. Every race I get at least someone (normally people watching) asking about them. A good percent believe they are compress selves that are used in the hospital for surgery.