The right pressure: how can compression garments be useful?

Why do you wear compression garments in training and when should you consider buying them?
Venous pathologies are very common today in people of different ages. This is due to sedentary lifestyle, poor posture, excess weight, prolonged standing on the legs or sitting in an unnatural position. These factors disrupt blood circulation and lead to various problems, including varicose veins. Let’s find out how to support your body with the help of compression clothing together with Anastasia Yurkova, master trainer of X-Fit group programs in Russia, expert of the International Festival of Health and Sports SN PRO EXPO FORUM.

How does compression clothing work?

Even if you have not been diagnosed with varicose veins, but you often have swollen legs, cellulite on your thighs or occasional cramps, you should think about compression therapy. This method is based on a prolonged squeezing effect on the superficial veins. Pressure is created by elastic bandaging of the limbs, bandages, hardware or with the help of special compression knitwear.

Compression improves blood flow, prevents the formation of blood clots, stimulates lymphatic drainage. By itself, this technique does not cure existing pathologies, but can prevent their appearance and significantly reduce pain, swelling and other symptoms.

Compression knitwear tightly fits the legs and properly, graded pressure on the stretched vein walls. For example, in stockings or tights, the maximum pressure is on the shin area and gradually decreases towards the hips. For prevention, it is usually sufficient to apply pressure only to the lower leg – compression gaiters can help with this.

When should compression garments be worn?

Compression knitwear is recommended to be used during intensive loads on the legs: during running, walking, aerobics, power loads directly on the legs. And also during axial loading – the use of weights when working while standing, jumping movements.

In addition, compression knitwear is shown during pregnancy and in the first time after childbirth as a prevention of venous pathologies. It is during this period that women most often first encounter venous disorders, which are caused by increased strain. For the same reason, people with excessive body weight also need to use this technique.

Also, additional strain on the veins occurs during air travel and road trips, when a person sits in an uncomfortable position for a long time. Therefore, if you often travel, it will not be superfluous to acquire compression gaiters, because the main “blow” falls precisely on the lower leg.

How to choose compression clothing?

In all of the above cases, it is recommended to use knitwear with a slight compression.

If you are diagnosed with varicose veins, the class of compression underwear and the duration of its wearing should be determined by a phlebologist. In each case, the degree of compression will be different. Trying to pick it up on your own, the expert strongly discourages. The consequences of self-treatment can be unfortunate, up to serious damage.

A high degree of compression is necessary not for preventive, but for therapeutic purposes and is prescribed by a doctor.