Meeting your fitness goals, whether big or small, requires you to put your body through a certain amount of stress. Every time you train, you push yourself to run farther, lift heavier and be more precise with every movement.
For most people, higher intensity training leads to sore muscles and general fatigue. Some even lose their motivation to work out because of the consistent pain that carries into their everyday life. Others invest in expensive treatments to keep their muscles feeling great the next day.
But that doesn’t have to happen to you. With compression socks, you can train as hard as you need and still feel energized and ready to push harder day after day.
What are compression socks? Can you use them if you’re not trying to reach a new fitness goal? What do they actually do for you? We’ve heard all the questions from customers, and we’re here to help answer them for you.
If you’re new to compression socks or want to learn more about how they can help elevate your performance and recovery, let us help! We’re here to give you everything you need to know about compression, how compression socks can assist you and what to look for when you’re buying your own pair.
High-quality compression involves more than training gear that fits tightly around your arms and legs. Compression gives you a precise, gentle pressure on specific areas of your body. Compression socks apply pressure on the ball of the foot, around your ankle and on the plantar fascia, a tendon that runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel. By providing a little extra support to these areas during your workouts, compression socks ensure that your body stays in alignment and every move is safe.
PRO Compression socks are designed to take compression benefits to the next level. We’ve created Graduated Compression designs that gradually get tighter as you get closer to your toes. Because of gravity, your ankles and toes tend to suffer from poor circulation, which then causes swelling. The swelling is what causes the uncomfortable soreness and pain in your muscles.
Our Graduated Compression puts the pressure on the areas where you need it most. Light pressure at the top of your compression sock allows blood to flow freely throughout your entire body, right down to your toes, providing oxygen to your muscles. The tight compression on the bottom of your compression sock helps push the blood back towards your heart, preventing it from pooling up and causing painful swelling or irritation.
But you don’t have to be an athlete to see how our compression sock design could help make you feel better. People who are on their feet all day experience the same swelling from poor circulation. Doctors and nurses, teachers and retail associates are just a small part of a large group who are forced to stand on their feet all day just to do their job. Over time, that is a lot of wear and tear on your tendons and muscles. Instead of paying top dollar for a massage or physical therapy, invest in a pair of compression socks. It’s a proactive, cost-effective choice that everyone can benefit from.
Support from compression socks goes beyond performance enhancements. The same design that helps support circulation during your workouts can also help post-workout. Each time you work out, whether you’re lifting or going on long runs and everything in between, you’re putting tiny tears in your muscles. As your body repairs those tears, your muscles get denser and stronger, and are better able to handle your physical activity. Sometimes, though, repairing those tears takes longer than we would like. That’s when we look to compression socks and other things to help speed up the process.
As you know, a compression sock will help encourage blood flow to the areas of your legs and feet that need it most. But you may still be unclear about how better circulation helps muscles recover and reduces soreness. Let us explain.
Your blood is carrying the necessary oxygen your muscles, including your heart, need to recover. The easier it is to pump blood throughout your body, the less strain you put on your heart. A relaxed, stress-free heart is one that will stay healthier longer. When the oxygenated blood flows to the muscles in your body, your muscles can start to recover from the strain of your training session. The oxygen and nutrients in the blood help repair the tears, energize the muscles and get you ready for the next day.
If you struggle with sore muscles, wear compression socks while you sleep. Your body does most of its recovery while you’re resting, and compression socks can help speed that process up. It’s safe to keep them on all day, but if you only wear them once a day, make sure you put them on before you go to sleep.
Compression socks are an incredible, cost-effective investment you can make for your health and fitness, but they can’t do everything on their own. If you’re going to take your circulation, performance and recovery seriously, you need to add other elements into your routine. For example, a healthy diet with plenty of nutrients can improve the time it takes for your muscles to recover after each workout. A food like pineapple is especially helpful when you’re looking to recover muscles and ease tension in your tendons.
Stretching is also a major part of muscle maintenance. Start your workout with a light activity like jumping jacks or a slow jog. Anything that gets your heart pumping and your blood flowing gets your muscles ready for physical activity without risking a tear or strain. Once your workout is over, make sure to complete cool-down stretches. Wear your compression socks during your stretching to make them even more efficient for muscle recovery.
And finally, get enough rest. The periods between your workouts are almost as important as what you do while you’re training. Your body needs that time to adequately recover in order to improve strength and performance. So wear compression socks while you sleep, and get enough sleep, in order to guarantee that you’re getting the most out of your workout.
For those who aren’t using compression socks during training, but rather during their everyday activities, the same suggestions apply. A nutritious diet, consistent stretching (maybe even yoga) and a regimented sleep schedule can all help keep your body in top shape while you work. Even if it’s a light exercise, getting your body out of a sedentary pace and encouraging your blood to flow throughout your body will do wonders for the way you feel.
With all the benefits from compression socks, the only question is: Which kind is right for you? PRO Compression offers a variety of sizes depending on your personal style and recovery needs. If you’re looking for everyday wear from a sock that doesn’t show while you wear it, try our low profile compression sock. It gives you all the benefits of compression targeted just to your feet, which tend to swell the most.
For more support that extends beyond your ankle, try a pair of mid-rise compression socks. They will provide added support and circulation to your ankle that you wouldn’t get from a low profile sock. And finally, if you want overall coverage for you leg, try a calf compression sock that helps circulate blood throughout your entire lower body.
Each pair is made from the same poly-spandex proprietary blend that keeps moisture and odor out. Plus, you can cater your compression socks to your personal style. Choose from a variety of bright colors and cool designs. Who said muscle recovery couldn’t be fun?
Extend the muscle recovery to your upper body with a pair of compression arm sleeves. With expert elbow support and the same Graduated Compression in our socks, you’ll be free to make the precise movements you want, while still keeping pressure where you need it most. You won’t be restricted in your motion, plus, you’ll get the active recovery you need to get back out and train the next day.
