Under the expert guidance of our Board Certified Vascular Surgeon, Dr. Mark Zuzga, our team of Vein Specialists & Vascular Experts are committed to delivering top-tier outpatient vascular & vein evaluation and treatment throughout the greater Tampa & West Florida surrounding areas. Should you find yourself dealing with leg pain, swelling, ulcers, discoloration, or the appearance of spider and varicose veins, we invite you to request a screening todayAthletes and Compression Stockings
That’s right, though often thought of as socks for just those who have venous insufficiency – varicose and spider veins, over the course of the last several years’ medical investigators have worked with top athletes in the distance biking, running, and triathlon fields.
One of the largest issues they all faced was cramping. Also known as “hitting the wall” it is caused by a build up of lactic acid. This build-up takes place when the aerobic threshold is exceeded.
What was found is that wearing graduated compression stockings can help. These graduated stockings have the highest compression at the ankles and get less compressed as you head up past the knee.
How They Help
Wearing these stockings helps to prevent the pooling of blood in the muscles and affects the arterial flow to the muscles. The muscle in the arterial wall relaxes and this increases in the diameter of the veins to help with performance via higher cellular oxygen as well as faster recovery times.
A Group of Marathon Runners Were Studied
A conjoined study including 19 marathon runners used running socks for three months during training as well as the competition came to the following conclusions:
Sixty percent of runners who suffered from muscle and tendon aches in the lower leg or experience pain in the ankle joint reported feeling relief from these aches as a result of wearing compression sports socks.
Forty-seven percent of the group experienced an easier run overall and fifty-three percent said the calf muscles were more relaxed.
But Are They Comfortable?
The group reported no significant issues as far as the comfortability of stockings even out in the heat. Especially as they can be sprayed down with water during a run on a particularly hot day.
If you are an athlete, help protect the health of your veins and circulatory system by considering proactively wearing compression stockings during workouts and competitions.
If you are in the Tampa Bay Florida area and need a Vein Specialist look no further. West Florida Vein Center has you covered. Give us a call to schedule today. 727-712-3233 or visit us online at www.westfloridaveincenter.com.