Running Compression Socks - What Triathletes Should Know
Compression socks are the newest rave on the triathlon scene as people seek every advantage and benefit possible through the best gear.
If you watched any of the Kona Ironman on TV, you noticed that many of the elite triathletes were wearing compression socks. Even triathlon guru, Joe Friel, discussed the issue of compression socks on his blog.
So, what follows is a crash course on compression socks to bring you up to speed and help you make an informed decision about using them.
How Compression Socks Work
The unique characteristic of compression socks is their graduated pressure application.
The body pumps blood to all of the extremities as equally as it can. Over time, however, gravity often causes blood to pool in the lower legs and feet, causing circulatory problems. This blood pooling can cause fatigue and leg cramps.
This is where compression socks come in. Compression socks use stronger elastics to create significant pressure on the legs, ankles and feet. Compression socks are tightest at the ankles, gradually becoming less constrictive towards the knees. By compressing the surface veins, arteries and muscles, the circulating blood is forced through narrower channels. The arterial pressure is increased, causing more blood to return to the heart and less blood to pool in the feet.
Although compression socks were originally marketed to those with compromised circulatory systems, many people now find their everyday use beneficial. For example, passengers on long air flights wear compression socks to prevent circulatory problems like deep vein thrombosis, leg cramps and edema. Those with occupations requiring long periods of standing have also found the use of compression socks to be helpful. Compression socks have been widely accepted in clinical and post-surgical settings for the treatment of edema, lymph edema, phlebitis, varicose veins, spider veins and deep vein thrombosis.
Long Distance Runners Wear Compression Socks
Compression socks found their way into long-distance running.
Running legends such as Lornah Kiplagat, Gete Wami, and Paula Radcliffe swear by them.
It is believed their benefit to running includes:
- improved oxygen delivery to muscles
- accelerated lactic acid removal
- stabilization of the lower leg for greater muscle efficiency
- enhanced venous return to the heart through a more efficient calf muscle pump, leading to increased endurance capacity
- cramp prevention
- minimized muscle fatigue as a result of more compact muscles, which enhances balance and proprioception and reduces muscle fatigue
How Compression Socks Help Triathletes
So you can see why a triathlete would be interested in compression socks.
The run portion is the last segment of triathlon and is normally when fatigue and cramps become an issue.
A triathlete also logs a lot of training miles on the road running. It makes sense to do whatever you can to help train and perform well, even if it means wearing those silly looking socks.
But do they really work?
Studies Of Athletes Wearing Compression Socks
There doesn't seem to be a conclusive answer. On the one hand, you have a lot of runners and triathletes who use them and say compression socks work for them. That shouldn't be taken lightly. There's no reason why they would say so if it weren't true.
However, a study done by the American College of Sports Medicine suggests there is no statistically significant differences in maximal oxygen consumption, heart rate or minute ventilation between treadmill runners who wore compression socks and those who did not. The study did, however, show a faster lactate recovery rate after exercise when wearing the compression socks, suggesting that compression socks might speed recovery after a strenuous workout or a race. As one runner put it, "So wear them in a race if it suits you, but definitely wear them after the race."
There is other research on the enhanced performance benefits of compression socks. James Greenwood breaks down a study done in Germany to "determine the effect of below the knee compression stockings on running performance in men runners." The findings established a correlation between the compression socks and improved performances by the participants.
Popular Compression Socks Used By Triathletes
It appears there's enough ammo for any triathlete to at least experiment with compression socks to see if they are beneficial.
A few of the most popular compression socks used by triathletes include:
What has been your experience with compression socks? Is there a certain kind you would recommend? Please share your experience it might help someone else in their decision. Thanks!
John,
You should put them on it T1 to get the best benefit - most of our pro athletes wear them on the bike as well - have a look at our blog:
http://slstri.blogspot.com/
There you can see how to put them on in T1 or T2.
I've seen professional triathletes using compressions socks. Do they swim in them? Having just bought a pair ther's no way you want ot be struggling with them in T1
I am 50 and a 15 year veteran of the sport including five IM finshes and eight 70.3 finishes...with chronic posterior tibial tendonitis to show for it. Can only do Oly and Sprint as a result and racing in compression leggings keeps me in the sport as they support my lower legs, reduce fatigue and muscle vibration, and nearly eliminate the flare up and inflammation of the tendons caused by running. Even if it's in my own head, it beats being in pain or not racing. I'm a fan and I like the Zensah brand.
Just a comment from a 60 year old 11hr Ironman and engineer and on the compression socks debate. From a hydraulic perspective if the tightness of the socks assists to squeeze the blood back to the heart through the veins ie "venus return" then the compression afforded by the socks will also make it harder for the blood to find it's way to the muscles through the arteries in the first place. Net sum gain? Zero. Additionally, one of the main contributing factors in fatigue is being able to dissipate heat from the muscles...that's the main reason thin runners endure better than fat runners. Therefore, socks strapped around your calves will exagerate the cooling problem. I believe most of the benefits claimed for compression socks are imagined....in the athletes minds looking for "free" advantages.
FYI - we are currently working on a real compression tri shorts - the first samples have been tested successfully...even better benefit as the socks.
TriDoc,
Please have a look at our website, we do have some studies there - they are not paid by us.
There is a benefit of wearing compression socks and compression garments.
A few months ago, I was telling my doctor (who is an avid tri-athlete/ironman) that my leg - mainly the calf area - gets swollen and sore after marathons for several days (even after stretching, ice baths, advil, etc.). She recommended I try compression socks (CS) for recovery...funny thing is, I had just read the article in Runner's World about CS and thought nothing of it. Now, I swear by them! I haven't tried running in them but I can definitely tell you that it works for recovery. I have since convinced several of my running partners to try them ...and sure enough, they all say the same thing: CS's work (at least for quick recovery)!
Hello,
I would like to ad that makes a lot of sense to use the socks on the bike as well. All our athletes use them on the bike during a triathlon. You will feel that you get a lot fresher off the bike and can run easier.
You can also consider compression sleeves which can be worn under the wetsuit from the start on.
I am a physician and have been doing tri's now for about 5 years. Have completed on Ironman, 5-6 70.3's, and several shorter races. My next race is the Kansas 70.3 on June 14. I prescribe compression socks regularly for the medical conditions you mention, and they are helpful devices in those circumstances. It doesn't, however, make logical sense to me that they should do so much for an athlete, things such as improved oxygen delivery etc. I haven't yet used them and do not at this point plan on it unless there is some conclusive evidence at some point that they are significantly effective. As you point out, the evidence thus far is mostly inconclusive, and I think it is unlikely that this will change. There may be some value in recovery because of the added support. But if the value in recovery is that it allows a quicker recovery, that in the end could be detrimental if it is causing atheletes to stack too many races back to back thus wearing themselves out and overtraining over the long haul. Scott Tinley's article in the most recent issue of "Triathlete" has some interesting things to say about that idea of racing too often. Thanks for the post.