Do you do compression?

Compression has been a popular part of sports recovery for a long time, it is part of the standard RICE formula.
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate

Lately there are more and more options on the market to aid in compression as opposed to the old school methods of wrapping an ace bandage around your body.  Compression has also moved beyond the realm of recovery… athletes are using it during training as well.

SportsCompression.com has the goal of providing top quality compression products to athletes, because they themselves are athletes too! They have a variety of products (socks, sleeves, apparel, braces) that they have tested and deem to be of top quality. They offer a 30-day money back guarantee as well, so if you’re not happy you have a chance to get your money back (as long as you keep the original packaging) and they also have a price-match guarantee. [source]

They were kind enough to send me a pair of pink CEP compression socks, which was fun to get my first pair of compression socks.  Here’s the official marketing speak:

For all Runners and Endurance Athletes: The scientifically optimized pressure flow provides muscles with the maximum amount of oxygen and energy during performance and recovery.

The times when the sole purpose of socks and stockings was to protect feet from blistering, are over. CEP provides the first functional sport sock with a unique compression profile, scientifically proven to increase blood circulation, and consequently, increase performance.

Achilles Tendon Support: Additional support of the Achilles tendon protects and prevents irritable tendons.

Padded Foot Soles: Special support of the foot sole prevents irritations caused by pressure spots.

Ventilation Channels: For a pleasant foot climate and reduced friction.

3-D Fit: The socks adjust to the anatomy of the leg and foot for a perfect fit, thanks to the three-dimensional manufacturing process.

And the “official” Jill speak:

Awesome! They come with instructions on how to put them on! For some reason I get a kick out of clothes that come with instructions, because it seems like clothes should be fairly self-explanatory!  The instructions say to turn them inside out and then place your foot on the foot spot and unfurl the sock up your leg.  That seemed ridiculous to me, so I just scrunched them down to fit my foot inside and then pulled them up my leg.  That worked fine.  They were comfy, I wore them on a run but I also think they would be a nice option to wear for recovery from a long run.

Not only does SportsCompression.com sell compression products, they have links to information on the science behind compression and medical studies on the subject.  They also have info on using compression for travel benefits, helping to avoid DVT from sitting for long periods of time. Their site is easy to navigate, loads quickly. This isn’t a web-technology blog, so I won’t dissect how their site holds up against various validations… but I did check! 🙂

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So here’s my only dilemma…  SportsCompression.com has offered me the opportunity to hold a giveaway on here.  But I honestly feel like giveaways don’t receive the kind of interaction that I’d like.  People seem to gloss over them.  So if you are interested in the possibility of a compression giveaway, chime in via the comments.  If there seems to be interest, I’ll have another post for a giveaway.

Legalese: SportsCompression.com did provide me with a pair of socks for free in exchange for spreading the word about their business. Everything posted here is based on what I wanted to say though.