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Compression socks: just silly looking or do they help?


Sdlrodeo

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I have never worn them for shooting, but there is solid science there. Back in the day when I was racing bicycles seriously, we had races wednesday evening, after I had been on my feet all day selling bicycles to work my way through college. I found it helped a LOT to wear compression stockings (support panty-hose) under my pants at work. Kept the  blood circulating in my legs and I was a much fresher for the race.

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Wow. Ok. I guess I’ll try a pair. Any Brand recommendations?

 

I’d rather have an Unpadded or thin version. What about tightness? 20-30mmHg? That seems to be the recommendation for ‘running’. 

 

thanks for the feedback!

Edited by Sdlrodeo
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While I have never worn them for shooting competitions, one of my other hobbies is refereeing competitive & adult league soccer. If it's a quality game I typically will get in 6 to 7 miles in a 90 minute game. I started wearing compressions socks under my uniform socks and it made a huge difference.

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Be careful ordering compression socks off Amazon, they need to fit correctly and the Amazon ones do not have enough measurement to fit correctly. Go to a medical supply store and get fitted correctly.

Ask you doctor for a prescription for them can save you sales taxes in certain states and can buy them with your health savings account

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So I got two pair. A phisix gear and another but I don’t have the name handy. 
 

the phisix pair I’ve tried. I immediately felt more energy. Not quite a ‘buzz’ but I noticed something. Maybe it was the ‘cooling’ sensation of the fabric? Maybe it was not necessary increased circulation but different circulation that I’m not used to?

 

i like these so far since they don’t have extra padding on the bottom of the foot. 
 

any drawback to wearing them all day?

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On the advice of my CNP (based on her personal experience) I ordered the Compression Marathon Socks by PRO Compression off of Amazon and they have been a great help in controlling the moderate edema in my lower legs. They also feel very comfortable once they're on. Since these are the only ones I have tried I can't comment on the comfort/effectiveness of other brands.

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On 1/17/2020 at 7:23 AM, Sdlrodeo said:

So I got two pair. A phisix gear and another but I don’t have the name handy. 
 

the phisix pair I’ve tried. I immediately felt more energy. Not quite a ‘buzz’ but I noticed something. Maybe it was the ‘cooling’ sensation of the fabric? Maybe it was not necessary increased circulation but different circulation that I’m not used to?

 


 

any drawback to wearing them all day?

 

It was a placebo effect. External compression, or venous compression socks, are used to help with venous insufficiency which manifests in leg swelling. For any given degree of venous dysfunction it will be more easily brought out in tall people, overweight people, people with some cardiac and pulmonary problems, or people who are on their feet and upright for extended periods of time. If your veins are working normally, you don't get any additional physiologic benefit. If your veins are not coping, your benefit would be less swelling. Some folks get pain with swelling so they may help with that too. That's about it. 

The only benefit that I could perceive wearing them was keeping my legs warmer, which may help with performance under some circumstances. 

Note that with the gravity it is normal for feet to be slightly swollen by the end of the day if you had been upright. Some quote 10% shoe size increase. The night-out shoes are best to be tried on before buying in the evening.

 

The negative side of those is that if you overdo the degree of compression and actually worsen the venous return from superficial veins. In medical practice we have different compression pressures available and we try to gestimate venous pressure in each patient and go just above that. 

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4 minutes ago, Greengun said:

With due respect, how do you know it’s placebo effect, thinking you are wearing it but you are actually not?

I ordered a pair to see if my legs don’t ache as much. I do not expect a buzz, erection, etc.😎

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6 minutes ago, Greengun said:

With due respect, how do you know it’s placebo effect, thinking you are wearing it but you are actually not?

 

I am not sure I totally understand the question. Of course you are wearing them,  they don't do anything for your "circulation" as long as you don't have a venous insufficiency, other than keeping you warmer or protecting from UV light.. They are just long, and often times uncomfortable socks. If people feel that they are more comfortable and they think they do something, I've no argument.  Physiologically, performance enhancement gear they are not. I still wear mine at matches but mostly to keep the dirt away from my legs if I plan to go somewhere after the match.

 

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I am not sure I totally understand the question.

 

 

Well, by definition, placebo effect means it does provide beneficial effects but not attributed to the properties of the placebo itself (drugs, socks, procedures) and must therefore be due to the patient’s belief in that treatment. Now, placebo effect experiments can be done in drugs with actually no medical content but the patient doesn’t know it has no content. It can’t be done with compression socks. That’s why I said to say it is due to placebo effect you’d have to think that you are wearing them when you are actually not, which can’t be done.

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Placebo effect can be observed with any applied intervention, be that a medication,  device (such as compression stockings), or sham surgery. You don't have to think that you're wearing the compression stockings but in fact have regular socks on to experience it. In fact, in this scenario you can't experience placebo effect at all  since you're not applying the intervention. However, you can be wearing the compression socks and believe that they are doing something for you while in fact they aren't, which is a placebo effect.

Edited by YVK
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