The idea of wearing specialized clothing for working out at the gym or playing sports is something that most of us take for granted. It’s evident that streetwear sneakers are not going to cut it for running a marathon, but that’s just one of a hundred examples of why we change into different clothes for various activities.
Whether you might want to wear a breathable, quick-drying fabric or a waterproof garment for outdoor sports in all weathers, there is plenty of choice when it comes to matching items to all kinds of needs and requirements.
Most of these combinations or their form and function are quite straightforward, and it’s easy for anyone to work out what they need to wear and why. However, one class of fitness apparel does seem to confuse people somewhat – so why should you be wearing compression clothing for playing sports or working out at the gym?
Prevention
As the old saying goes ‘prevention is better than cure,’ and if you’ve ever suffered the agony that can result from a pulled muscle, you might well know that there is a lot of truth in that statement.
One of the most effective ways to prevent muscle strain during exercise of any kind is to make sure that what you are wearing is giving you adequate support for the stress you will be placing on different parts of your body.
Upper body muscles are often overworked in various physical activities, and that’s why support with compression shirts is a tried and tested way to prevent injuries. A modern compression shirt won’t look like a medical aid of any kind; some of the most flattering and fashionable sportswear and fitness clothing offer various levels of support in this way.
Post-injury
If prevention measures haven’t been put in place and you have suffered an injury, it can be a devastating blow if you are trying to keep up a regular fitness regime.
It’s necessary to ‘take it easy’ after a muscle strain or worse, and that makes it a slippery slope to losing out on all the hard work you have previously put in when it comes to maintaining fitness levels.
Anyone dealing with the aftermath of a serious training or sports injury needs to follow medical advice as to how quickly they can begin to proactively workout again. For those with less severe and far more common strains and pulls, it can often be the case that ‘getting back into the saddle’ as quickly as possible is the best option.
Compression clothing comes into its own here, as it isn’t just restricted to being useful for injury prevention. By giving you support where you need it and when it is used correctly, compression clothing will play a significant role in rehabilitating various injuries and helping you get back into action much faster than you might have thought possible.
Non-sports uses
Compression clothing isn’t just limited to playing fields, track events, or gyms as it can have a much wider role to play in health benefits. The fact that modern sports and fitness wear is transferable and acceptable in many other day to day situations makes it perfect for other scenarios.
For instance, compression clothing has long been known to have a positive effect on suppressing the formation of blood clots known as ‘deep vein thrombosis.’ This sometimes fatal condition arises when blood flow is interrupted or affected in some way and often causes clots to form in the lower leg. Compression socks are commonly worn by seasoned long-haul flight travelers who are aware of the risks, but even an office worker who sits at a desk for much of the day can be in danger.
In hospitals, long-stay patients are often provided with long-leg compression socks, and of course, high altitude pilots and even astronauts are all well aware of the sometimes vital need for highly specialized compression clothing.
Positive effects
You might not be planning a trip into orbit, and you might not be dealing with the fallout from a nasty sports or training injury, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to benefit from the positive effects of wearing compression clothing to the gym.
Even if you think that your personal fitness regime doesn’t put you at much risk of injury accidents can happen quite easily, all it takes is a twist or turn out of place that puts an unexpected strain on your body.
With so many items of fitness and sportswear already incorporating compression, you might already be experiencing the benefits without even knowing it!
