Compression Clothing

[Weeble]

Is anyone using compression clothing?  As I understand, there isn't any real proof of it enhancing performance while wearing it, but there are some that claim that it's the recovery where it comes into play.  I'm 46, larger guy ( 6' 2" and 210 lbs).  I've been paddling almost every morning before work as running just kills my knees and shins, and my front door is about 50 yards from a little SUP & Kayak launch onto the New River in Fort Lauderdale.  It's a great way to start my days on a quite waterway as the sun comes up.  Anyway, I can definitely feel it in my lats, shoulders and legs after a few days.  Not joint issues, just muscle soreness.  I'm only doing 5 to 5.5 miles, mixing in a few sprints here and there, but nothing crazy.

I have read different articles where some say to wear compression wear during the workout, others say after the workout, some say both.  I don't mind giving them a shot if it helps with my recovery.  Does anyone have any experience, or advice to share?

[Bulky]

How long have you been doing the 5-5.5mi per morning?  I'm about your size and age and I'm paddling about the same distance every morning.  Been doing it pretty consistently for 4-5days a week for well over a year.  Somewhere along the line I stopped feeling sore.  I can still feel that I paddled but not overly painful.

I never went the full compression route, but I have collected a pretty nice (and expensive) paddle wardrobe.  But lately, I've realized the best attire is:  board shorts and a t-shirt!  Rash guards and paddle jackets are cool, but they're not something I want to wash everyday--which means they'll start to smell really bad.  So, now I wear a clean t-shirt everyday and just throw it in the wash.  I'll keep the fancy gear for the winter but more for warmth.  At my performance level, I don't think what I'm wearing makes a noticeable difference.

[Weeble]

only a few weeks now.  I am on a break as I picked up a wicked virus from a client's keyboard (I'm in IT) that will have me out of commission for a week or two!.... you'd think I'd be better at washing my damn hands that I am.  It's one thing to pick up a cold or flu here and there, but to pick up a wicked a case of Hand Foot & Mouth disease from someone who caught it from their kid and then came to work anyway has been a final lesson for me.  I think I'll be wearing gloves from now on!

anyway, I typically just paddle with board shorts and either a long sleeved UV shirt during day paddles, or a short sleeve wicking type shirt for the morning or evening paddles.  I sweat up pretty good, so even on morning paddles, with our humidity, even the brim of my ball cap is soaked and dripping with sweat, so everything just gets thrown in the wash bin!

[PonoBill]

Compression clothing for recovery probably works best for anyone who sometimes suffers edema--swelling of the extremities, in this case mostly the legs. Your blood returns to your heart through your veins, and since your heart is a positive displacement pump that pulses the blood, the veins in your extremities have check valves in them to help keep the flow going in one direction and avoid backflow between pressure pulses. If your veins grow larger, as they often do with age or weight gain, the check valves don't close efficiently and you get leakage, or in medical terms, reflux (backward flow), known as venous insufficiency. Wearing compression reduces the vein diameter a little and lets the check valves work better. It also increases the pressure in the tissues surrounding the veins that have filled with fluids from leakage. So if you see swelling on your legs, or you have leg cramps, particularly at night, or your legs feel heavy, then you might be helped by compression wear. If you're using compression for that purpose, make sure the cuffs are not excessively tight. That works against the purpose of increasing blood flow. For some nutty reason the 2XU stuff has tight cuffs, which I have to cut. But I use them frequently because they are easier to put on than medical compression, are adequate for my use when modified, and look sporty instead of looking like a medical device.

I haven't explored the claims for performance or general recovery for athletes, but I suspect it's not a particularly effective tool. For one thing it will generally make you warmer, and while warm muscles work better, overheated ones dehydrate faster and collect more waste products. Not sure where the tipping point for benefit would be.

[bikersurferboater]

Bicycle racers have been using compression socks and full-length pants for years. I use the socks for recovery after a ride/race. I also sometimes use them on the drive to an event or at work after a long weekend of racing. They work fantastically if you have to either be on your feet or stuck in a car or airplane. As tired as my legs are after a full day of paddling, I think compression socks would be a good idea.

 I have no experience nor have I heard of people using compression clothing for recovery of the upper body but I am pretty sure the clothes are available.

A friend of mine races in compression socks since he suffers from calf cramps. Other than that, people use them for recovery after an event rather than for use during an event.

Bottom line is that for the legs, compression works wonders in the recovery department. You can get socks, pants or calf sleeves. Socks or calf sleeves have the advantage of being relatively easy to put on and take off and you can hide them underneath pants.

Hope this helps.

[Eagle]

Have had my 2XU socks and calf sleeves for years and sometimes use them for running up and down our local mountains.  But found not a huge benefit as I have no edema and my legs do not get sore.  Long distance mountain runners -> 100 milers seem to use them.  Most the reflective 2XU material has fallen off ours.

Do use them for plane rides though and they do seem to help to keep swelling down.  But again not sure of any other benefits.  It seems for me it is more of a placebo more than anything -> as without it feels the same and recovery is about the same.  Do not use them for SUP as my feet and calves feel fine.  But hey - if they work for you -> definitely use them.

Just normally use a wide brim Corona straw hat or a cap for big DW -> and UPF 50 rash guard or sleeves with UPF 50 -> as dislike slathering on chemicals when possible.  Used cotton but find that retains just too much water and sticks to you -> so everything is light and dry breezy nylon or polyester.  We do tend to paddle for sometimes hours on end - so comfort is really important.   

[natas585]

If it makes you feel any better, wear it.  I normally just paddle in board shorts and a hat but sometimes in a race I'll use some compression pants. I like the 3/4 or full ones so my thighs and knees are covered.  I like how it just keeps any excess jiggling to a minimum.  Now I do not wear the thicker, tighter ones, yes there are differences in compression(tightness). Because like Bill said they can inhibit blood flow to the muscles. The tighter ones I'll wear on my calves and forearms after a race on the drive home. Like anything else for performance, if it's not dangerous give it try and see if it's any better, the same, or worse.

[headmount]

I use the 2XU forearm past elbow sleeve and when I use it, no pain after or during.  When I space it, I feel the pain in my elbow.  Works well for me.

[Weeble]

Folks, thank you for taking the time to read and answer with your experiences and advice.  I picked up a pair of pants and a short sleeved shirt and will give them a whirl and see what happens.  At worst, I can just use them on those 3 or 4 mornings a year where it's actually cold here in Florida in the early mornings!  I was gifted one of the sweet Quicksilver paddle jackets a couple of years ago, but down here as soon as you get moving, that thing is too hot to keep wearing.

[PonoBill]

For me it's a simple thing, if I don't use them for more than a few days, I start getting edema and start having leg cramps at night. Wear the compression for a few days and it goes away. Not much chance for placebo effect when leg cramps wake you from a sound sleep.

[pinoySUP]

If it makes you feel any better, wear it. 

As a PT, I've gotten this question before and this is my usual response, especially in regards to questions about athletic performance.  The research I've seen is far from conclusive and mostly anecdotal.  IMO, a good portion of the positive reports are due to self-fulfilling prophesy/placebo effect.  That's not to say I don't think there could be some physiological benefit for athletic performance.  If anything, the compression provides some meaning input to our central nervous system.  How our bodies interpret that input depends on a multitude of factors.

yay! my 1st post! 

[eeck62]

A couple years ago I was doing a lot of triathlon training consisting of a 2 hour runs and 5-6 hour bike rides.  I felt like sleeping in compression pants made a big difference.  My legs felt rested and ready to go the next morning vice being tired.  I didn't find any noticeable benefit to wearing sock or pants while exercising.

[Weeble]

Well, I'd like to report that after a week of almost daily paddling wearing compression wear, I feel a little bit better.  Not faster or stronger, but if I paddle in them and then wear them for couple of hours afterwards, I do feel less aches and such, and the next day when I paddle again, I don't feel much the previous day's effects.  However, I do feel sexy as hell wearing them, so that might be the real difference.  Joe Namath was on to something....

[Area 10]

For me it's a simple thing, if I don't use them for more than a few days, I start getting edema and start having leg cramps at night. Wear the compression for a few days and it goes away. Not much chance for placebo effect when leg cramps wake you from a sound sleep.

Don't bet on it. The placebo effect is remarkable. Sometimes in medicine it can give a larger effect than a "real" treatment. In any case, the feedback that wearing them may give you may alter the way you move, meaning you don't do as much of whatever it is that is leading to the edema.

But you'd better make sure you disagree with me, or else you might start getting cramps even when you do wear them

[PT Woody]

For me it's a simple thing, if I don't use them for more than a few days, I start getting edema and start having leg cramps at night. Wear the compression for a few days and it goes away. Not much chance for placebo effect when leg cramps wake you from a sound sleep.

Don't bet on it. The placebo effect is remarkable. Sometimes in medicine it can give a larger effect than a "real" treatment. In any case, the feedback that wearing them may give you may alter the way you move, meaning you don't do as much of whatever it is that is leading to the edema.

But you'd better make sure you disagree with me, or else you might start getting cramps even when you do wear them

Yeah, nothing wrong with a placebo, but the one thing you don't want to fall victim to is a nocebo.