Airline compression socks and compression leg sleeves, as the most common compression equipment, are quite popular among runners. Essentially, they are high-elasticity knit fabrics with a smaller diameter, allowing them to fully wrap and restrict the calves to exert their effects.
Airline compression socks exert pressure on blood vessels to supply more blood and oxygen to the muscles. This allows oxygen and energy substances to enter the muscles faster, while also helping to metabolize wastes and carbon dioxide more quickly out of the muscles. Theoretically, this contributes to higher energy production efficiency, enabling runners to run faster.
However, for average runners, airline compression socks have a certain effect of relieving or delaying fatigue. Delaying fatigue can be considered as an improvement in athletic performance. For example, an average runner participating in a half-marathon might start experiencing muscle cramps and fatigue at 15 kilometers and rapidly slow down thereafter. Running with compression socks, this runner might only start to slow down due to fatigue at 18 kilometers, which means they can maintain a better state and run an additional 3 kilometers.
During running, the impact brought by the foot landing causes muscle oscillation, which is considered a significant cause of muscle damage and delayed-onset muscle soreness. Analyzing from this principle, airline compression socks can, to some extent, reduce muscle oscillation by providing support to the muscles, thus alleviating pain.
Take a full marathon as an example, every runner needs to take at least 30,000 steps to complete the race. During this process, each foot strike causes muscle vibration due to the ground impact force, which is a major cause of muscle damage and fatigue. Airline compression socks can reduce calf muscle oscillation throughout the entire run, thereby reducing the degree of muscle fatigue to a certain extent.
A study from Auckland Massey University found that wearing compression socks while running a fast-paced 10 kilometers reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness within 24 hours post-run. Interestingly, the study found that calf pain was most significantly reduced, indicating that compression socks are effective in the specific areas they cover. The study revealed that 93% of runners who did not wear airline compression socks experienced calf soreness the next day after the run, while only 14% of runners who wore compression socks had similar calf soreness.
Wearing airline compression socks after exercise can accelerate blood flow, aiding in the removal of metabolic wastes and bringing in substances needed for muscle repair and regeneration in a timely manner. Some studies suggest that athletes and people who take long flights feel less soreness after wearing compression socks. Scientists at the University of Exeter measured recovery status and muscle soreness in the 1-4 days following intensive strength exercises. They found that subjects who wore compression socks for 24 hours after exercise had significantly reduced subjective muscle soreness, demonstrating that compression socks have a role in accelerating recovery and faster fatigue elimination.
Wearing airline compression socks by compressing blood vessels allows more blood and oxygen to be supplied to the muscles, letting oxygen and substances enter the muscles more quickly and improving energy conversion. Compression socks play a greater role in delaying fatigue onset, alleviating muscle pain, and promoting fatigue recovery. For amateur runners, wearing a pair of airline compression socks during marathons enables you to run healthily and safely!
