Compression gear is beneficial for anyone at any activity or health level. Whether you're a beginner to sports, a professional athlete, or someone who flies frequently or spends a lot of time at a desk or on your feet. But even a quick search online reveals that there are many different types of compression wear, making it a bit daunting to figure out which type is which, which is more beneficial to you than the other.
What's the Difference Between Compression Socks and Calf Sleeves?
The most significant difference between compression socksand calf sleevesstarts with their design. Compression socks cover the entire foot, ankle, and calf. Compression calf sleeves start above the ankle, leaving the foot uncovered, and the cuff rests below or at the knee.
Both designs provide the same benefits to blood circulation with graduated compression, meaning the compression gets lighter as it moves up the legs. Our compression socks and sleeves also offer 15-20 mmHg true graduated compression—perfect to meet several needs.
However, compression sleeves help your body send blood from your feet to your heart, while compression sleeves focus more on sending blood up from the ankles.
So, what does that mean? Are compression socks better than compression calf sleeves? Do socks offer more benefits than calf sleeves?
The Benefits that Sleeves and Socks Share
The two most critical benefits of compression sleeves and socks are the reduction of swelling and the easing of soreness after a workout or after working a long shift that requires you to remain on your feet. Since a compression sock covers your entire feet, they are much better at preventing and helping with foot swelling than a compression sleeve.
Compression sleeves can work on preventing your calves from swelling or easing pain in the calves and shin, but not anywhere else.
Compression Socks are Perfect for Travel, Desk Work, Recovery
When traveling or seated for prolonged periods, keeping your feet on the floor for five or more hours can cause your feet and legs to begin swelling. Swelling can happen when there isn't enough blood making it back to your heart as the blood stays pooled in the legs. Because compression socks envelop the entire foot, ankle, and most of the calf, we believe compression socks are ideal for those who frequently travel, work long hours on their feet, or have a job that requires them to be seated at a desk.
The reality is that many of us are seated for several hours a day, whether due to employment, travel, recovery, or other reasons. Even if we're afforded the freedom and ability to move around and stretch our legs, we still spend much of our day sitting down.
After high-intensity workouts, running, or exercise, we recommend wearing compression socks to help with muscle recovery as they promote better blood flow throughout your body and muscles.
Compression Sleeves Are Perfect for High-Intensity Workouts, Running, Shin Splint Prevention
Compression calf sleeves are ideal for those who do high-intensity runs and workouts. Sleeves compress the muscles to ensure that your blood circulates everywhere it needs to go when you need those muscles to work the hardest. And while compression sleeves don't necessarily prevent swelling in the feet or ankles the same way compression socks do, they can avert sore muscles by helping your muscles remain oxygenated with proper circulation.
Since compression sleeves are designed to target specific muscles in the leg, they're perfect for intense athletes that use and engage their legs often, like marathon runners. Not all runners experience swelling of the feet or ankles, yet compression sleeves allow runners to provide targeted assistance to the muscles that need it most while allowing runners to wear their preferred socks and shoes comfortably.
People new to running or rigorous sports or who have suffered from it before might be familiar with the term ""shin splint."" Shin splint or shin splints is a term that refers to pain along the shin bone (tibia.) Your tibia is the prominent bone at the front of your lower leg. Experiencing shin splits is a fairly common ailment found in runners, dancers, high-impact activities, and even those serving in the military. The official name for shin splints is Tibial Stress Syndrome. It can be experienced by athletes of all levels and experiences, especially if they've recently transitioned into a more intense routine or changed it. And even if you aren't an athlete, you can still experience shin splints, especially if you have flat feet, stiff arches, or weak calf muscles.
To help prevent shin splints and help relieve their symptoms and pain of them, then compression sleeves are the ideal choice. Pairing compression calf sleeves and a proper warm-up before a workout is one of the most effective ways to prevent shin splints, so make sure to wear your favorite sleeves and warm up, even when you think it's not needed. It is always better to be safe than sorry and in pain later.
Which One Is Right For You?
The bottom line is your personal preference and what your need is. Compression socks and compression sleeves are equally beneficial and can have massive benefits. It's all about the activities or issues you want them to address before choosing and purchasing one or the other.
Do you:
• Work on your feet for 5 – 8 hours or longer per day?
• Have to be seated for 5 – 8 hours or longer per day?
• Travel frequently by plane, bus, car, or train?
• Experience swelling of the feet and ankles?
• Have or are you looking to prevent varicose veins?
• Are you recovering from an injury?
• Do you have circulation issues in the feet or ankles?
You will probably enjoy the benefits of compression socks more than compression sleeves.
Do you:
• Train, work out, and do high-intensity sports?
• Are you a marathon runner?
• Do you prefer to wear a unique sock, or do you not like the feeling of compression socks covering your feet?
• Are you looking to prevent or treat shin splints?
• Does your workout, training, or sport focus on calf muscles?
Then you will most likely enjoy the benefits of a pair of compression calf sleeves more than compression socks.
Now with the benefits of each laid out, you're ready to make the best decision that will fit your needs and activities. We hope we have been able to shed some light on this subject! When it comes to everything compression, think Crazy Compression.
