In one carrera It is increasingly common to find runners equipped with GPS watches, wireless headphones, shoes with carbon plates, and also socks that tightly fit the calves. The calls compression stockings They have technology applied directly to the body, but they do not necessarily focus on sports: They serve as a “second skin” .
The idea of a garment capable of putting pressure on the legs to hold muscles and promoting certain processes during and after physical activity is simple. But achieving that effect requires a lot more than making a particularly tight sock.
Within this world, various types of socks coexist: there are the conventionaldesigned mainly to cover, protect, control humidity, temperature and friction; the sportswhich provide containment and adjustment, but can generate areas of excessive pressure or a localized strangulation effect.
Lastly, there are the understanding stockings. It is a garment that combines elastic synthetic fibers with resistant materials to distribute pressure as the user movestheir main characteristic and the technological element that differentiates them from the rest.
Among the materials used appears between 40% and 50% elastane —also known as Spandex or Lycra— and fibers such as polyamide or nylon, which provide resistance and allow the garment to retain its shape.
In Argentina There is an offer that ranges from products specifically intended for sports to compression garments used in medical settings. Sigvarisfor example, is identified for clinical use; Gelform sells different compression models; Sox It has alternatives aimed at both rest and sports and running, including different levels of compression.
There are also options from mass consumption brands such as It fitswhile Tifox It has a presence especially linked to running and cycling.
“Many people think that it is a product for vascular pathologies and that it is sold only in orthopedics, and today the compression stocking is used preventively to all areas of daily and sporting lifebeing able to buy them both in orthopedics and in sports stores,” explained Daniel Gioffré, Technical Advisor in Health and High Performance accounts at SOX, to the newspaper Clarion.
Therefore, when choosing one, It is not enough to look at the precio or the appearance of the garment. It is also important to know what level of compression it offers, what activity it was designed for and what materials it uses.
A stocking that does not tighten equally throughout the leg
Unlike a conventional sports stocking, for example, a compression garment seeks exert controlled pressure on certain areas of the leg. To achieve this, manufacturers combine different levels of elasticity and textile structures.
The objective is that the garment stay tight during movement without simply becoming an uncomfortably small sock. The fabric has to accompany the contraction and relaxation of the muscles, maintain its position and preserve its properties after multiple uses and washings.
“Graduated compression means that the pressure is greatest in the distal area of the foot and decreases progressively towards the calf area. This favors the conditions for venous returnespecially when there is difficulty moving blood from the extremities to the heart,” Gioffré explained.
In models intended for running, different areas of fabric can also be incorporated to improve ventilation, reinforce areas subject to greater wear and increase comfort. In other words, The technology is not only in the fiber used: It’s also in how the garment is constructed.
“With the use of gradual compression stockings during sports, the return of fluids is favored and, by reducing the formation of edema, the shorten recovery times and reduce the feeling of heaviness after exertion,” confirmed Leonel Prepotente, a graduate in Kinesiology.
How to choose the right stocking
To identify the suitable stocking It must be taken into account that brands usually offer different levels of pressure, which are expressed in millimeter of mercury (mmHg). This is the unit of measurement of how much pressure a garment or device exerts on the body. The higher the number, the more pressure.
In general terms, the models of 8 a 15 mmHg They offer mild compression and are usually used for everyday life, travel or people who stand for many hours.
The models of 15 a 20 mmHg They provide greater compression and can be found both in products intended for physical activity and in garments for certain daily life situations.
From 20-30 mmHgcompression is considerably greater and is usually linked to specific medical uses, so its use should respond to the indication of a health professional.
In addition to the pressure level, it is essential to use the correct size.
Brands usually offer four or five sizes determined from different measurements, such as shoe size and leg circumference. A stocking that is too large may not generate the desired effect. One that is too small can be uncomfortable and concentrate pressure in certain areas.
These compression stockings can be used by adults and adolescentsboth for medical and sporting purposes, while in children There are also specific indications, but they require correct evaluation and always medical indication.
“There is no specific age to start using technology tights. But he who practices sport If you start using them you will notice a feeling of relief at the end of the activity, as well as people who do some work with many hours standinglike beachgoers or serene people,” remarked Arrogant.
Beyond sport
The use of these garments is not limited to racing. There are models intended for restto people who remain standing or sitting for many hours and to specific situations related to circulation.
Los extended trips They are another of the scenarios in which they are usually used. Sitting for long hours can promote swelling of the legs and feetand the compression stockings They can help reduce it in certain people.
In these cases, however, the choice of compression level It is also important. The medical clothing They should not be chosen in the same way as a sports sock.
Therefore, behind a garment that at first glance looks like a common sock, there is a combination of materials, elasticity, graduated pressure and textile design. The true innovation is not only in tightening more, but in how, where and how much it tightens.
That’s the technology that turned compression stockings into a kind of “second skin” that went from offices and orthopedics to athletics tracks, gyms, airplanes and everyday life.