After a long day of training or racing, your first instinct may be to get in a hot tub to soothe your tired muscles. But what if there was a better way to reduce muscle soreness and restore strength? Turns out there is, compression clothing. If you haven’t heard about it, here’s the low down. Compression clothing works by putting pressure on specific body parts to increase blood flow and promote better circulation. This reduces lactic acid build-up and prevents post-workout soreness. Compression socks are an affordable way for runners and bikers to check out the benefits. 2XU’s Recovery Sock is great to slip on after training and to sleep in overnight. The socks are also antibacterial, durable and UPF 50. I tested these socks after a day of activity when my leg muscles were tight and sore. I woke up with greatly reduced pain and soreness! $23 2xu.com
EurosRx® compression sock is made from Dryarn® fabric, which comes from polyolefin, the lightest yarn in nature. The fabric is odor-free, inhibits bacterial growth and helps maintain the body’s natural temperature. Wearing these socks reduces swelling in feet and legs and helps to increase circulation while keeping your feet comfortable. $35 euros-rx.com
Skins™ makes compression clothing for a wide range of sports, but their new RY400 Recovery tops and bottoms are perfect for use after running, biking or swimming. Skins™ work by applying specific and controlled levels of compression to major muscle groups to accelerate blood flow and increase oxygen delivery to muscles. When used for a long period of time (about eight hours) this oxygenation reduces lactic acid build-up, speeds muscle repair and prevents soreness. For this reason, RY400s are designed to be put on after activity and worn overnight. Additionally, try them for airplane travel because the compression technology will prevent swollen feet on long flights. Skins™ uses a proprietary sizing system with 400 distinct points of fit so they’re sure to fit perfectly! The anatomical cut and comfort-stitch patterns make the RY400s comfortable for extended wear. Top $120, Bottoms $140 skins.net
