Compression Sleeves and Stockings – a New Trend for Athletes

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Compression garments are special clothing worn by people who are on their feet for a long period of time. These garments help promote better blood circulation and these pieces of clothing also prevents deep vein thrombosis and reduce swelling, especially while traveling.


Fashion and the sports have always been intertwined. Back in the 80’s, Julius Erving started the short shorts and knee high socks for better mobility, in the 90’s Michael Jordan perpetuated the elbow band and baggy shorts and then in the early 2000’s Sammy Sosa made the elbow brace and sleeve popular.


Improvement in technology have made it fairly common to see players covered in accessories like compression sleeves, braces, pads or leggings. These accessories are made to help players protect and preserve their bodies from various injuries but some coaches see them as gimmicks rather than tools to help prevent or recover from injury.


Basketball players have been known to wear braces to protect their elbows and knees; these accessories help align their joints properly in order to avoid twisting and bending in the wrong direction. These braces also give extra support to the affected joints, helping them recover and build strength especially after surgeries, thus giving the injured player more confidence during rehab.


As anyone who has had a massage after a workout knows, direct, applied pressure can reduce inflammation and soreness. In a similar manner, when athletes wear compression gear for a few hours after a workout, it has been shown in research to measurably reduce swelling and fatigue. These compression outfits have recovery advantages, too. Patients from Queen West Physiotherapy in Brampton Ontario have reported significantly less lactic acid after wearing compression socks. These socks, sleeves, shirts, and shorts act as a circulatory pump,pushing blood through the veins, a fact that some athletes think gives them an edge during competition.


One study showed that runners wearing compression socks had a 1.5 to 2.2 percent increase in pace and could run 4 percent longer. That’s about the difference between fourth place and Usain Bolt in the last Olympics. Frequent compression garment buyers from Queen West Physiotherapy are usually professionals who work in the healthcare and airline industry who are constantly on their feet. Prolonged standing can eventually lead to venous insufficiency in the legs, in which the valves in the veins become “leaky” in their attempt to return de-oxygenated blood back to the heart and lungs is more challenging. Venous insufficiency can include leg heaviness, cramping, swelling, itching, achiness, and tingling in the legs, and leg pain that worsens with standing and improves with leg elevation. Risk factors for venous insufficiency include being female (dependent on levels of the hormone progesterone), age, being tall, genetic factors, history of deep vein thrombosis, obesity, pregnancy, and sitting or standing for a long periods. If the condition is longstanding, one may develop redness or skin color changes in the legs, and superficial varicose veins.


Queen West Physiotherapy in Brampton Ontario sells a wide selection of compression garments to fit every client’s needs. Healthcare providers from this clinic are very knowledgeable about the accessories needed by patients in order to help them recover from their injuries. This multidisciplinary clinic in Brampton Ontario provides Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, Osteopathic and Massage Therapy in order to tend to any kind of injuries. Please contact us or visit www.queenwestphysio.ca for more detailed information.


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