Many compression sleeves function in a similar way to socks and stockings. How Do Compression Sleeves Compare to Socks and Stockings? When shopping for compression garments, try to look for graduated compression (measured in a range of millimeters of mercury) if you want lower leg and calf support. Graduated compression garments deliver a gradient of pressure, with more compression at the ankles and less at the calves. Graduated compression applies upward pressure to help eliminate fluids from this area. Gravity sometimes causes the pooling of blood and waste fluids in the lower legs and feet, especially when you stand or sit for a long time. Some leg compression sleeves and socks offer graduated compression, which boosts the circulatory system.
By narrowing the circumference of your veins, compression promotes faster, more efficient circulation. The same thing happens inside your veins. If you blocked the hose’s mouth with your thumb, the narrower spray would increase the velocity. Imagine a garden hose with a wide circumference. Lymph fluid, lactic acid, and other enzymes that cause swelling in the arms and legs should be processed through the circulatory system.Ĭompression can assist the flow of fluids, preventing waste materials from lingering in the legs or arms.īy squeezing the veins, compression garments also improve the velocity of blood flow. In addition, the pressure clears waste materials from the vessels and the surrounding tissue. The extra support helps to encourage healthy venous return. Over time, vascular structures can fail due to age, venous hypertension, or injury. This helps to support the vein walls and vein valves while encouraging blood flow from the extremities to the heart. How Do Compression Sleeves Work?Ĭompression sleeves apply gentle pressure to the veins in the lower legs and the arms. It’s best to assume that sleeves are intended for daytime use unless they're labeled as nighttime sleeves.
Some compression sleeves can be used for both daytime or nighttime use. In that case, the purpose of the sleeve is to stabilize the joint rather than to support healthy vascular function. A knee compression sleeve, for instance, typically only covers the knee area. Some compression sleeves-especially the ones made of neoprene-are designed to function as braces. They may cover the entire leg, from the ankle to the thigh, or they may cover only a portion of the leg. Leg sleeves come in several different lengths. Most often, they're used to treat the symptoms of lymphedema after a breast cancer surgery involving the removal of lymph nodes. What Are Arm and Leg Sleeves?Īrm sleeves normally extend from the wrist to the upper arm near the armpit. By improving your circulation and clearing waste materials, compression can leave your legs feeling energized and lightweight. You don't have to be an athlete to experience medical benefits.Ĭompression therapy also helps improve leg fatigue during long periods of standing and sitting, reducing pain and discomfort during regular physical activity. Studies have shown that athletes perceive a reduction in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and improve functional recovery using compression gear. In addition to lymphedema patients undergoing cancer treatment, athletes also report benefits from using compression therapy. After a lymphadenectomy, some patients experience swelling in their arms and legs due to a disturbance in the flow of lymph fluids.Ī lymphedema therapist or oncologist may recommend a compression sleeve, or another form of compression therapy, to help reduce the swelling. This condition can occur on its own or after a surgery involving the removal of lymph nodes, a common procedure for cancer patients. Physicians prescribe compression sleeves to help patients manage the symptoms of lymphedema. What You Need To Know About Compression Sleevesįirst, it's important to understand that compression sleeves are typically used for two main purposes. We'll also explain how compression sleeves compare to other forms of compression therapy, such as compression socks and intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices. In this article, we'll outline the benefits of compression leg sleeves and arm sleeves. Comrad doesn't sell compression sleeves, but we do know a thing or two about compression.
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