I wear compression socks for my calves when travelling or the day after a big work out - really knocks DOMs for a six. Can’t speak for during exercise but afterwards I find it keeps everything fresh.

I race in 2XU compression shorts, and I do feel a difference, even if it's just a placebo.

I wear it all the time for various reasons:

1. Helps keep my legs and muscles feeling fresher than without
2. Prevents chafing
3. Wicks sweat and keeps me drier than without
4. UV protection (my skin is allergic to strong sunlight and I'm in SoCal)
5. Keeps my legs warm with thicker material tights for cooler weather conditions

I use it to keep warm in the winter compared to using a running jacket or trousers, with a tshirt and shorts over the top. I’d probably say there is very negligible performance benefit, and your time and effort is probably better spent doing strength and mobility work.

I have no idea if it helps performance, but I'd still say it's worth a try as you might find it more comfortable than non-compression clothing (though you might also hate it--try it and see). I'll now always wear compression shorts for a half or above for comfort and to prevent chafing. Compression socks with adequate cushioning also feel better to me than non-compression.

you're probably not going to experience any athletic benefit from compression shorts. the evidence that they help with recovery is slightly more promising but i don't know if i really buy into it personally.

that said, i do wear them because i think they're comfortable and they help to prevent chaffing.

I switched to normal shorts and got performance boost. Compression shorts are too restrictive, and they just brake you

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They’re comfy. 🤷🏽‍♀️

In terms of acute performance benefits, I don't think there's any good evidence that they help beyond just comfort and "holding things in place".

Most of what we know (below) is that it is negligible and could be explained by placebo effects. I believe it was Doan et al that theorized if there was a benefit, it might be because athletes who train with the compressions regularly might be giving their nervous systems slightly better feedback, but given that I haven't heard much of that theory in over 20 years, I assume it doesn't have a lot of legs right now.

• Kraemer et al. (1998, J Strength Cond Res): Looked at collegiate football players performing vertical jumps and sprints. Compression shorts were found to reduce muscle oscillation but had no consistent effect on power output.
• Kraemer et al. (2001, J Orthop Sports Phys Ther): Tested compression shorts during maximal squat lifts and found some benefit in reducing muscle soreness and perceived exertion, but not in strength gains.
• Doan et al. (2003, J Strength Cond Res): Examined compression shorts in vertical jump and sprinting. Athletes wearing them had slightly higher jump heights and improved warm-up effects, but the improvements were modest.
• Duffield & Portus (2007, J Sci Med Sport): Looked at cricket players, showing compression shorts helped with recovery markers and perception of muscle soreness after repeated sprint efforts.

Bumping this up to see if anyone has tips on compression clothing for adults.

Thanks!

I don't notice the relief most of the time, but it does make me less likely to faint when I stand up because the changes to my HR and BP don't happen so fast. 

I usually feel immediate relief, I put them on first thing in the morning and keep them on until I go to bed. It's a struggle to get them on and off but I find it's worth it for me.

For me it’s not that I feel better when I wear them, but it means I don’t feel worse as quickly as I usually do when I’m standing.

You might not have the right fit! Especially if you’re buying yourself and not getting fitted at a medical place.

I have pretty bad blood pooling and find that compression socks/tights are pretty much the only thing that help. If you are going to benefit from compression, it should be an immediate relief. Unfortunately it doesn’t help everyone. 

The long term effect is the same as from using cratches for a long time - at first that helps, but in the long term it makes you weaker because it takes some of the load and doesn't let the body properly compensate and get stronger where it should.

I had a pretty busy winter. Half Marathon training and race from November to February, a 10k race the week after, immediately went into 5k training for a race 7 weeks later, then tried to re-prepare for a half 4 weeks later. My calves were pretty tired and sore all the time so I wore sleeves on every long run, for speed work and some easy runs. I blew out a calf during the first kilometer of that last half marathon. I’m pretty sure being overtrained was a big part of it but I can’t be bothered to train in calf sleeves now. I’ll wear them for recovery overnight but I let them breathe out on the roads.

It's a yes to both options, kinda.

It's a feeling, which is purely psychological. That feeling can change the way you run (feel better = run faster), which may lead to long term changes. But the sleeves themselves have no long term effects.

Yes, honestly.

I like the thigh high ones, 20-30 mm/hg or whatever the unit of measurement is idk lol. I recently did a bunch of activity and the days that I wore the compression socks I had stamina and did well. The day I didn’t wear them I felt like trash

I use sockwell compression socks. They're a life changer for me, I went from passing out multiple times a day to getting dizzy a couple times most days. Ended up with this brand because they work well, last a while, and don't look like medical gear. They are a bit pricy though. I suggest getting a pair or two and seeing if they help you before making a big investment, but I've basically stopped using any other socks. 

https://sockwellusa.com/

They are not life changing, but i definitely like wearing them. My feet swell a lot less.

IMO you gotta get the ones that go up past the waist. Everything else slips, rolls and bunches up with any kind of movement. Yes it helps, but man it's frustrating if they don't fit right.

They do, but if you have any amount of sensory issues theyre awful.

I’m a petite, thin woman and wear athletic compression leggings and shapewear tops. They seem to provide enough compression for me and I def feel the dif when I’ve not worn them. Spanx has some good quality decent compression tanks/cami tops and the fabric is breathable, light and comfortable. My pooling is focused mostly in my abdominal region down through my thighs so these work well for me

I can't say for sure it won't bother your stomach, but compression wear is a very different feeling from clothes that are too tight.

There's a brand called Tesla (so far as I know unrelated to the car company) that I think is good for the price. I haven't tried many of the options, though.

For me compression garments, other than socks, induce vomiting, acid reflux and chest pain. If I wear compression socks I like Vim&Vigrv. They have a line of compression legwear and socks. The ones without material at the toe are nice in the spring/summer while indoors. 

I wear 3/4 hypercools. I like the compression and they provide a little barrier from nicks from the bar, ground or rope burns. I wouldn't say they actively cool my legs, but they breathe well enough that I don't feel them during a workout. Are they necessary? No, but I guess I'm just used to wearing them now.

The product is basically just compression tights with good marketing so you can wear a less expensive version first and see how you like it. Some people do, some don’t.

Duluth has some cooling boxers that help a lot compared to cotton, they don’t weigh anything you can wear them on any hot day

It depends... if they are neon they add +10 lbs to every lift, if you wear just the tights, no shorts over them +20lb

I get teslas off Amazon. Love them.