Running is a seriously great hobby. From a practical perspective, it is proven to help people live longer and feel better. It is also a great way to look after your mental health while meeting likeminded people.
Unfortunately, 70% of runners will pick up an injury at some point in their life. This can be a really stressful and devastating experience, so it's important that runners take care of themselves as much as possible.
As well as using the right preparation and recovery techniques, this includes using the right equipment. Running shoes come in many different shapes and sizes, for example. Now, running socks are becoming a very important tool for runners to aid recovery and prevent injury.
Looking to learn more about the benefits of compression socks for running? Here's a deeper dive into how compression socks can help you on your running journey.
1. Reduced Muscle Soreness
Soreness and stiffness come with the territory. It's an unavoidable part of the running life and pushing through the pain is part of what makes running so enjoyable and helps runners to achieve the runner's high.
This soreness can quickly build, though, and soon result in an injury if the runner is not careful. This is why it's so important to have easy recovery runs rather than forcing sore muscles back into intense action.
Compression socks can help to reduce muscle soreness. During a run, your feet will naturally begin to swell up and this swelling can lead to pain. By reducing the amount of swelling, it's possible to decrease the soreness that your muscles feel.
Compression socks help to squeeze the areas around your feet, ankles, and lower legs. This helps to reduce swelling by eliminating the buildup of fluid in the tissue. In turn, this helps to reduce the pain that you will feel both during and after running.
2. Improved Recovery Time
If you are a long distance runner, you need every piece of help that you can get to aid your recovery time and get yourself back to feeling great. If you are on the sidelines for too long, you may find that you lose your edge and lose your stride.
Studies from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrate that compression socks can play a definite role in boosting the recovery time of runners.
How? Well, the swelling of muscles leads to pressure-related pain. In order to reduce this swelling, the blood flow must be improved in those areas. If a runner wear compression socks, they will find that their blood circulation is improved and that the swelling is reduced.
This is why many athletes wear compression items. Soccer players can often be seen wearing a wide variety of compression socks and shorts to protect their muscles and help them to prepare for their next outing as quickly as possible. You'll see that this is also the case across a wide range of sports.
3. Reduced Calf Strain
Calf pain and strain is every runners nightmare. This can be incredibly painful and affects the majority of runners. Calf pain can often be crippling and halt a runner in their tracks, affecting their times and how they enjoy their run.
While compression socks are not a cure-all, they can go a long way to helping prevent and aid the recovery of calf injuries.
Compression socks achieve this by offering extra stability to the leg. Each stride taken by a runner send shockwaves up the leg and this vibration can lead to calf issues. By holding those muscles in place and offering extra support, compression socks can reduce the risk of injury.
Again, compression socks help to assist in increasing the blood flow to muscles. This increases the amount of oxygen that reaches those tissues and aids recovery and performance.
If you experience consistent issues with your calves, you could consider trying a pair of quality compression socks. Some people even decide to go a step further and invest in compression sleeves which offer additional support to the rest of the leg.
4. Additional Warmth
Staying warm while running is very important. If your muscles are kept warm, you will find it easier to prevent muscle strain and keep yourself healthy.
Compression socks cling tightly to your muscles, helping to keep them warm whatever the circumstances you find yourself running in. If you run for long distances and find yourself exposed to the elements for a protracted period of time, compression socks are an important line of defence.
5. Protection From Your Surroundings
If you run through woody areas or wild trails, you may find that your lower legs are constantly whipped and scratched by small plants. Not only is this painful and potentially dangerous in terms of infections, it also takes you out of your zone.
Compression socks can offer you an important layer of protection against those small plants and other debris. This means that you can run with confidence and protect your lower legs from injury.
6. Limited Swelling
Swelling is a big problem for runners. It can affect feet, ankles, legs and knees. Some runners even experience swollen hands and fingers if they drink too much fluid while running.
Compression socks squeeze those key areas and apply pressure, forcing fluid out of the tissue. By eliminating this build of fluid, compression socks help to alleviate pain and expedite the recovery process.
The socks can be worn both during and after a run to get the very best results. Each runner is unique and will find that the best method varies according to their particular needs. It's important to experiment with compression socks to find what size and routine works best for your body.
7. Improved Blood Circulation
Blood circulation is very important to the overall health of your body. By assisting the circulation of blood and oxygen around your body, you can keep your vital organs healthy and promote cell growth.
In addition, a healthy blood circulation can help you to both look and feel healthy. People with a good blood circulation have a healthy colour to them and they feel warm to the touch while feeling sharp and focused.
From a running perspective, it's also an important way to combat swelling and keep yourself running as effectively as possible. The improved blood flow provides your sore muscles with the oxygen that they need and stops lactic acid from building up.
If you are tempted to see how compression socks perform for yourself, you should be sure to give them a try and assess how you feel with and without them.
8. Aesthetics
Compression socks are also a great way to add some character to your running attire. Every runner is different in terms of how they approach running fashion. Function is always more important than form, but some runners vary with how seriously they take the fashion aspect of running.
If you want to find the ideal way to add some character to your running attire and help yourself stand out from the crowd while you're in a race, compression socks are a great way to bring together form and function.
There is also a practical benefit to the color and style of your compression socks: visibility. If you run on roads and during the night, you should be sure to choose a compression sock that boosts your visibility and helps you to be noticed.
9. Feature-Rich Options
You will find a wide range of compression socks available on the market, each equipped with a range of features that fit with your particular needs. You will find some, for example, that have moisture-wicking properties to keep you dry and comfortable while you run.
Anti-bacterial fabric can also keep you cool and clean while running, keeping you in optimal condition while you enjoy your workout.
If you have a particular need while running, you should look to see if there is a compression sock that is right for you. As these socks continue to grow in popularity, so does the number and variety of them available on the market.
An Important Note
It is important to remember that compression socks are very effective at offering the above benefits. You should be careful, though, to make sure that you do not roll them down into a bunch. This could mean that your compression socks restrict the blood flow and this could lead to a range of severe consequences.
To ensure that you do not have to roll down your compression socks, you should make sure that you buy compression socks that are the perfect size. There are a range of common options available on the market, ranging from socks that reach your knees to those that just go above the ankle.
Give Them a Try Today
We hope that this piece has helped you to better understand how compression socks can benefit your running journey. If you are interested in finding out about the benefits of compression socks for yourself, then you should be sure to browse our range of products today.