best compression leg sleeves

The Best Leg Compression Sleeves

You may wonder why many top performing athletes wear leg compression sleeves or calf compression sleeves while participating in their sport. This article will go over the most common questions in regards to leg sleeves as well as the benefits of these sleeves for athletes and non-athletes.

Are Leg Compression Sleeves Good?

Compression socks and sleeves help the body by providing graduated compression, meaning the compression is tighter at the foot and ankle area but looser at the calf and lower leg area. Graduated compression helps fight the effects of gravity by assisting the body in supplying oxygenated blood to muscles during exercise.

Keeping oxygenated blood flowing to the muscles is important for performance. In fact, wearing compression leg sleeves and having more oxygen and nutrients flowing through the body means:

Increased recovery rates
Decreased muscle soreness
Decrease muscular vibration
Decreased muscular fatigue

To sum up the benefits of wearing compression leg and calf sleeves, increased blood flow is going to help improve your performance and decrease muscle fatigue. Compression will also help you to recover quicker and train harder, meaning you will be ready for your next workout.

Do compression sleeves help with leg pain?

The answer is yes. Compression socks and sleeves help reduce pain caused by shin splints, calf cramps/strains, and achilles tendonitis. However, if the only thing you are doing to help your injury is wearing compression, these garments are not the cure to any condition.

Compression sleeves can help make injuries feel better while you are recovering or possibly prevent a new injury from occurring, but proper rest, massage, stretching/strengthening and progression of training should be your main focus when dealing with leg and foot injuries.

How tight should compression leg sleeves be?

Since compression sleeves are designed to provide graduated compression, they should feel tighter around the calves where the compression level is highest.

A good rule of thumb when checking if your sleeves are too tight, is to note any of the following symptoms:

The compression sleeves pinch your skin
Your legs feel numb or show discoloration
The sleeves are painful
You find it difficult to run and move

If you believe that your compression sleeves are too tight, start by ensuring they are sized properly for your calves. Before ordering your pair of compression sleeves, make sure you find the correct size that fits you properly.

What do thigh compression sleeves do?

If you find that your activities are cut short due to sore quads and hamstrings, thigh compression sleeves could become your new best friend.

Many athletes from runners to football players benefit from the use of thigh compression sleeves as the increased blood flow and faster blood lactate clearance help improve endurance and performance.

Full leg compression sleeve

From runners, to football players or even wrestlers, one of the simplest ways used to gain a competitive edge are full-leg compression sleeves.
The use of full-leg compression sleeves is advantageous for 4 main reasons:

Improve performance
Prevent Injuries
Treat Varicose Veins
Help Recovery Process

Full-leg sleeves are typically made of high stretch materials such as nylon, polyester and spandex. As the name suggests, full-leg sleeves are worn from the upper thigh all the way down to the ankle and are designed to compress the leg muscles to keep them warm and promote healthy blood circulation.

Top 4: Best Compression Leg Sleeves

FOOTBALL LEG SLEEVES

Pros:

Wicks Away Moisture
Protect From Sun, Turf Burns and Irritation
Scrunch Design Prevents Sleeves From Falling Down

Cons:

Available in 2 Sizes Only
May Not Be Compressive Enough

We start off this list of the best compression leg sleeves with the XTD Sports Calf Compression Sleeves. The XTD sleeve is made of materials that are strong, durable and ultra breathable. In addition to that, the material is well sewn to ensure that the Calf compression Sleeves are as comfortable and durable as possible.

The XTD Sports Calf Compression Sleeves come with a unique material weave that ensures the right amount of compression without riding up or down like some uncomfortable sleeves do.

These Sports Calf Sleeves are made for various sports and not just football alone. Featuring an ultra breathable material, they are able to keep you cool and dry even under very hot conditions. Perfect for recovery and preventing injuries, the compression provided eliminates the strains, stiffness and fatigue that is normally associated with strenuous training and game time. They also have enough compression and thus go a long way to ad in the circulation of blood to the relevant muscles.

2XU Elite Calf Compression Sleeve

Pros:

Graduated Compression
UPF 50+ Protection
Flatlock Seams

Cons:

Too Short for Tall Athletes
Material is Thin

Featuring innovative muscle containment stamping technology (MCS), these sleeves cater to each runner and deliver personalized results. The unique technology works by targeting specific regions of the calf muscle reducing muscle oscillation, which in turn minimizes swelling, soreness and discomfort.

The 2XU Sleeves are designed with flatlock seams which minimizes chafing and irritation and are constructed of a durable nylon and elastane blend that is supportive yet comfortable enough to keep you from feeling restricted.

Asics Blocks Calf Sleeve

Pros:

Anti-Odor Properties
Flatlock Stitching
Reduced Muscle Vibration

Cons:

Elastic Band can cause Discomfort
May Not be Compressive Enough

Whether you're suffering from shin splints or want help preventing them, the Asics Calf Sleeves are your go-to. Featuring a complete 360-degree compression, these Sleeves are supported without being restrictive and contain moisture-wicking and anti-odor material blends.

Their unique material blend of polyester and spandex creates compression that helps reduce muscle fatigue and boost blood circulation. Other features include flatlock stitching and a silicone elastic band at the top of the leg opening which holds the sleeves in place reducing chafing and muscle vibrations.

McDavid Calf Compression sleeve

Pros:

Moisture-Wicking and Quick-Drying
Antimicrobial
Graduated Contoured Compression

Cons:

May Not Fit True to Size
Expensive

This compression leg sleeve is designed to reduce fatigue in your muscle by offering support and reduce the chance of injuries occurring by keeping your muscles warm. Featuring a thick and compressive nylon material, the McDavid Calf sleeves will prevent bruises and scratches from your shins while suppressing existing pain in your muscles and preventing new injuries from occurring.

In addition to the durable and heavy-duty material, the sleeve wicks away moisture, dries quickly. and resists bacteria build-up keeping you cool, dry, and comfortable throughout the day.

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