The Science of Compression Wear and Improving Your Running

When it comes to endurance during your running, science says you may want to pick up some compression gear like men’s compression pants or shorts before your next run. Professional and even amateur runners of all fitness levels and distances will swear by compression clothing on their race day. But the question remains, will they help you in increasing your performance and recovery when it comes to your running schedule? Well, science says yes, and running out to a store or online to buy some will come with many benefits.

Let’s look at the studies to help convince you that compression gear is a must-have for your fitness regimen. Whether you're sporting a compression shirt, shorts, or pants, they all have an impact on endurance along with many post-run benefits also. While they won’t make you run faster, they will increase your performance.

Compression gear positively effects the following:

• Time to exhaustion.

• Your running economy.

• Clearance of blood lactate.

• Muscle damage and inflammation.

• Post-exercise soreness and fatigue.

If you’re wondering how compression clothing does this, it works by improving the amount of blood that flows from your heart back to your legs. While you’re running, this enhances your cardio output. The compression also keeps your muscles and tissues stable. This is, so they aren’t moving back and forth as much. Too much movement can cause severe damage to your tissues. The damage comes in the form of muscle soreness. So, if you’re wondering why you’re sore the next day, this is why. Compression clothing will help reduce and even prevent this soreness.

Compression wear helps with muscle stabilization. While in the beginning, your run your form may be great but towards the end, many runners tend to get sloppy. Men’s compression pants will help you with your form as you may use fewer glute muscles and more hip muscles. 

Your running economy is when you lose more fuel instead of miles. Compression wear will help counteract this exhaustion by mimicking your muscles for that extra boost for your run. It could also help you pick up speed through your strides. Wearing compression gear also has a placebo effect. While your physical training is severe, you know how necessary your mental training and outlook are in achieving your goals or even going for a run to begin with. 

After a run, wearing your compression gear will help speed up your recovery as it will diminish soreness, swelling, and even inflammation. While more studies are being done, the evidence from numerous athletes has shown that compression gear like men’s compression pants or a compression shirt is always beneficial. Science and athletic medicine are strong supporters of you wearing compression gear for all your workouts including running or other cardio. While some may see it as a new sports trend, real athletes like yourself know that compression gear holds its own on the court, gym, and even on the track.