Compression Stockings for Runners
If you’re a runner, chances are you never leave for a 5K without your heart rate monitor and iPod. The next time you run, consider adding compression stockings to your must-have list. Research shows that support stockings, or compression stockings or calf and shin sleeves, improve running performance during both short, intense sprints and longer distance runs.
In this study, middle-aged runners ran on the treadmill while wearing compression stockings. The German researchers who conducted the study, published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, found that runners could run longer and had significantly better performance during both sprints (anaerobic exercise) and longer distance runs (aerobic exercise) when they wore the stockings.
Compression stockings for runners look a bit like leg warmers. They’re worn from the ankle to the knee, so runners also wear regular running socks over top of them.
How do compression stockings, or sleeves, for runners work? Not only do they keep runners’ calves warm during colder runs, but like compression stockings used for medical purposes, those used for runners also improve blood circulation and blood flow, allowing runners to run longer and faster. In addition, compression stockings offer support to the calf and shins, reducing the likelihood of shin splints.
Here’s an example of a calf and shin sleeve compression stocking for runners: Pro Tec Calf Sleeve.
