That swelling will go away naturally if you’re recovering appropriately (think: staying off your feet, elevating your legs, resting), but compression can help shorten the amount of rest you may need by preventing swelling from pooling in a certain area when you have to go straight from a run into life. “You may not even notice it, but edema, or swelling, occurs when your body starts to repair those microtears,” says Leninger. No matter what kind of run you do, whether it’s a 5K or a 50K, your muscles experience microtears from repetitive stress. (Keep in mind, this study only involved 12 healthy participants.)Ĭompression boots can also reduce swelling. This can potentially contribute to changes in exercise performance and recovery, according to the authors. According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2018, intermittent compression applied during recovery from exercise resulted in increased limb blood flow. Luckily, there are some scientifically-proven benefits when it comes to this method of exercise recovery.įor starters, the boots enhance blood flow and circulation. And “if the only benefit you get is sitting down and relaxing for 20 minutes while you use them, that’s still worth it,” says Leninger. If you’ve ever worn a pair of these puffy sleeves, you know it just feels good-kind of like a massage. “The sheer amount of compression you’ll receive from a mechanical device will work exponentially faster than socks,” Eric Madia, assistant performance director at Athletes Warehouse in Pleasantville, New York tells Runner’s World.

It’s somewhat similar to the difference between an active stretch and a passive stretch. Many compression boots allow you to control the amount of pressure and all of them offer more active compression than socks. Typically, compression socks are tighter at the bottom and get progressively looser to improve blood flow from the feet upwards, reducing swelling and discomfort in the legs.

Compression boots actually go all the way up to the top of your thighs, so your entire leg reaps the benefits.Ĭompression socks, on the other hand, squeeze the legs without movement or increases or decreases in pressure. As mentioned, compression boosts use intermittent pneumatic compression, meaning they mechanically inflate and deflate segments of a sleeve at different times. There are two types of compression athletes use: compression and intermittent pneumatic compression. How are compression boots different than compression socks? What Is Contrast Therapy & Does It Help Recovery?.Not all compression is created equal, however. The compression helps your system increase blood flow to your legs, which helps circulate the waste, so your body can get rid of it faster. The idea behind compression boots is pretty simple when you think about it that way. “Because your legs are below your heart, it’s harder for the heart to pump that waste from your legs to your lymph system, which helps get rid of it.” “Your body is constantly generating metabolic waste as it produces and uses energy, and that waste gets circulated throughout your blood,” Kathleen Leninger, D.P.T., a physical therapist at Custom Performance in New York City tells Runner’s World. What are compression boots and how do they work?Ĭompression boots use intermittent pneumatic compression, which basically means they inflate and deflate to create pressure at different points on the leg, helping to improve blood flow to your lower half. How to Improve Your Running Recovery Plan.The catch: They are a financial investment.īefore you make the purchase, here’s what to know about compression boots, including benefits, downfalls, and how to use them. These boots basically offer an air massage for your legs and some studies (albeit small ones) suggest they’re effective at reducing soreness and increasing blood flow, which is probably why many amateur runners now consider them must-haves. While sleep, mobility, and foam rolling might take up some of that active rest time, one of the most common medical-grade recovery devices to become mainstream are compression boots. If you have intense training and race goals in your sights this year, recovery time should have a place on your schedule.

Benefits of compression boots