by Deion Clifton
Compression therapy can be helpful in both everyday life and during or after exercise. It’s safe to practice every day, multiple times per day, and even makes for comfortable and stylish athletic gear.
What is Compression Therapy?
As an athlete or avid gym goer, you’ve probably seen, used, or even own some compression device. These devices are worn as clothing, wraps, or pneumatic devices, such as compression boots and walking boots.
The biggest thing about compression is that it helps to increase blood circulation. Pressure against your body helps to prevent blood from pooling. Increased blood circulation allows fuel for the body (oxygen, carbs, etc.) to reach the muscle more smoothly and flush out lactic acid and other waste, reducing DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). As discussed earlier in the recovery series, lactic acid latches onto muscles, causing fatigue and soreness.
Pooling occurs when blood collects in a single area, causing swelling and pain.
Mix & Match
Compression therapy is often used for both treatment and recovery purposes. Compression garments can come in the form of shirts, shorts, leggings, and more. Outside of being stylish, trendy, warm, and comfortable, they can help manage pain and swelling, heal wounds, address blood circulation issues, and prevent blood clotting. They even help the veins pump blood to the heart.
While compression is mainly known to help with blood flow, pairing the treatment with other therapeutic practices also assists in healing musculoskeletal injuries.
For example, cold compression allows you to receive the benefits of both compression and cold therapy. Where cold therapy reduces nerve activity and soreness, compression therapy adds pressure-induced blood flow. This allows blood to circulate through the affected area, decreasing the likelihood of pooling or clotting due to vasoconstriction.
Conditions
Compression therapy can significantly help anyone, whether you’re an athlete or just an average person who sits at work all day. Mild stockings, wraps, and bandages don’t require a prescription from a medical professional to be purchased and used. However, more severe cases of the following conditions
may warrant a prescription:
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) –
Also known as venous stasis, CVI is a condition where veins struggle to pump blood to the heart. Because veins get weaker as we age, it becomes more of a struggle for the veins to pump blood at the rate they used to. This can lead to failure of valves in the veins, and pooling can occur, leading to pain, swelling, and other problems.
Edema –
Edema is the medical term for fluid buildup in the body’s tissues. Body swelling most often affects those who are pregnant and people ages 65 and older. The feet, ankles, and legs are the most common places where swelling occurs and could be a symptom of underlying health issues.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) –
Often under-diagnosed, DVT is a blood clot in a deep vein of the body. Clotting can cause swelling, discoloration, pain, tenderness, and more.
Leg Ulcers –
Venous leg ulcers are sores usually developed after a minor injury. They’re often located between the knee and ankle and typically take over two weeks to heal. Symptoms include pain, itching, swelling, discoloration, hardened skin, and a foul-smelling discharge.12
Caution
Though most of the problems experienced by compression therapy are not severe, there are still risks and possible side effects. Less severe risks of using this method include skin irritation, pain or discomfort, skin fungus or bacteria, and swelling of extremities such as the hands or feet. Severe side effects are rare but not unheard of. These include nerve damage, soft tissue damage, and blood clots in the superficial veins. You can stay out of harm’s way and minimize the risk of experiencing any of these side effects by wearing compression garments that fit properly and using them as prescribed. Beware of any folding, bunching, or wrinkles in your garments, too, and make sure your skin and garments are completely dry before putting them on. Last but not least, be sure to replace your garments when they get worn or stretched out.1 Consult your healthcare provider if you experience any of the aforementioned side effects.
References
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23449-compression-therapy
- lesmills.com/us/fit-planet/health/compression-clothing/
- healthline.com/health/what-compression-therapy-and-its-benefits-are
- dunbarmedical.com/4-walking-boot-questions-answers/
- mainlinehealth.org/conditions-and-treatments/treatments/compression-therapy
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/14791-intermittent-pneumatic-compression-ipc-device
- ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3781860/
- pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/venous-insufficiency
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12564-edema
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16911-deep-vein-thrombosis-dvt#symptoms-and-causes
- mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352557
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23329-leg-ulcers
