Thursday, April 16, 2009

I Heart Recovery Socks


I know there has been a lot of talk about compression socks out there in the blogosphere recently, and I wanted to throw my hat in the ring as a fan. I received my pair of Recovery Socks and was so excited to try them out. I wore them one day after work for a few hours, just to see how they felt and I liked how comfy they were and wanted to see how they felt after a run. I used them after my 15 mile run last Sunday, and they felt great. After the run, I stretched and took an ice bath, then slipped into my cozy pair of compression socks. I wore them for at least 12 hours (slept in them), and I could definitely tell that they helped with leg soreness and fatigue. They are super comfy, almost like wrapping each calf and foot in a snug cocoon, which felt great after a long run. As a pharmacist, I have worn compression hose before when I have had to be on my feet all day long working so the technology is something I'm familiar with. They help to decrease swelling in your legs, and to increase blood flow. Here's what the website has to say:

Compression is not a new technology; it has been used for years in medical patients with venous and arterial insufficiency. However, the application of this technology to athletics is relatively new. There is clear evidence to support compression use in promoting recovery. Using compression socks after a race or hard workout provide a substantial benefit.
These garments will help to avoid venous stasis (blood pooling in the legs) and swelling. Compression is particularly helpful in depended areas of the body, such as the feet and lower legs where gravity has a greater effect on blood return. Improved blood flow after a workout results in enhanced nutrient delivery and removal of waste products to and from muscles. This creates a situation optimal for muscle repair, reduced stiffness and heaviness in the legs and possibly less soreness.
Several studies have demonstrated that post exercise blood lactate levels were lower with compression sock use both during and after exercise. Other studies have demonstrated that compression socks do create a major fluid shift in the body. Compression garments are believed to improve venous blood return to the heart and allow for better cardiac output (flow of oxygenated blood from the heart) thereby aiding oxygen delivery to working muscles and increased endurance.


Oh, and the best part? They come in black, silver, white or pink. I give them my highest recommendation. I really think they are a key piece of equipment to have in your arsenal of running gear. Check out their website http://www.recoverysock.com/ for more info on the technology and products. They also have excellent customer service so I'm sure they'll take great care of you if you place an order or have any questions(I'm not on their payroll, I promise, I just love them so much I think every runner needs a pair!).

18 comments:

joyRuN said...

I wear them at work, & definitely feel a difference after 12+ hours on my feet.

I'm going to start wearing them after my long runs though - the physiological rationale sounds credible. Besides - can't hurt, right?

Janice {Run Far} said...

I want some.. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

I really need to get me a pair.

Mel-2nd Chances said...

Great review, love my compression socks :)

Carolina John said...

i've been looking for some recovery sox. check these out too:

OxySox are supposed to be fantastic too.

Marlene said...

With all this talk of compression socks lately, I think I need to get myself a pair!

Glad to hear they worked for you.

Aron said...

I LOVE my compression socks too, I just wish the ones I have came in pink! I might have to get a pair of those ones too :)

Marcy said...

Oooooo yes compression socks are AWESOME! Love, love, love em!

Denise said...

That's it! I'm getting a pair! This might sound weird, but I had to wear compression socks when I had a DVT and I liked the way they feel. These sound just like that so I have to try them out!

Ali said...

I really really want to try some, for the benefits and cause they look so cute!

MCM Mama said...

I'm gonna need to get me a pair one of these days. Although, the way my legs usually feel after a long run, I really need thigh highs LOL.

Aka Alice said...

Wow. You know, I've been seeing some of my trackclub peeps wear these after long runs and I've been wondering about 'em. Thanks for the review!

Lindsay said...

great review! i totally need to get on the ball and buy a pair already. i know i want some i just (for whatever reason) haven't bought 'em!

No Longer Using said...

thanks for the website!!!! these are on my MUST GET list!

Alisa said...

I need to jump on this bandwagon!

I never thought I'd be a fan of ice baths and now I can't imagine doing a long run without one.

I sometimes wear support tights at work when I know I'll be on my feet a lot. I can totally tell a difference. I'm all about pink recovery socks!

Brian said...

I have to try these. I cant see them being cozy but if they help with soreness I am all for it. NOT the pink ones though!!

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CEP Compression Socks said...

Amanda,

I hope you're doing well. I came across your blog and found your reviews insightful and detailed. I am the Sales Manager for CEP Compression Sportswear. Have you heard of CEP Socks before?

We are actually owned by medi; one of the worlds leading medical compression companies. We have Run / Recover compression socks that I'd like to have you try and review for us. Every brand claims to have "Graduated" compression. Most products on the market can say this without backing it up because they're not tight enough to be medical grade. Anything below medical grade, 20mmHg, is considered over the counter and not regulated.

In order to penetrate your deep veins and target the arteries you need a specific amount of compression. One sign to look for is when a product goes by shoe size. How does the athlete know they're getting the right amount of compression? Shoe size doesn't tell the circumference of ones leg which will determine the size range to get targeted compression. For example, I'm a size 12 shoe but have a 14.75" calf. In our competitor products I'm always a L or XL. In CEP I'm the men's smallest size. This is means I'm getting true graduated compression tuned for athletic performance.

It's important for us to spread the truth about compression and that not all compression products match what they claim. We have a published medical study that I can send you that shows runners had 5% better performance running in our socks and used 6% less energy. That's 10-12min in a marathon! Our socks aren't just for recovery but for performance as well. That's what makes them so great.

I would like to get you a sock and sleeve to review and possible some compression shorts in a month when they arrive from Germany. Please let me know your calf circumference, color preference and the address to send them to. I really appreciate your time and let me know if you're willing to post a review on our products. Thanks and I'll look forward to hearing from you.

Website: www.cepsportswear.com

Sincerely,

Michael Potter
CEP Compression
801.520.1999
cepsportswear@mediusa.com