Proper use of compression.
In recent years, compression products have invaded the world of sports. They can now be found everywhere, from the start of a marathon to the starting line of a trail run.
Despite their growing popularity, compression is still the subject of debate. We wonder how it works, whether it really improves performance and facilitates better recovery.
Lepape has decided to offer you an in-depth analysis of these products and will help you understand the real effects of compression on your sporting practice.
The venous system plays an essential role in the body’s blood circulation. Arteries carry oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, while veins carry oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart.
Venous return from the lower limbs is complex. Blood has to travel a long distance (over 1.20 metres) between the heart and the feet against the force of gravity. This venous return is achieved thanks to the proximity of the veins to the arteries, the compression caused by muscular contractions and the pumping effect of breathing.
What’s more, during physical activity, blood flow increases considerably. This can encourage the production of toxins. Some blood migrates from the deep veins to the superficial veins, which can lead to problems if the venous system is not efficient. Symptoms such as heavy legs and swelling can occur when blood circulation is inadequate.
Compression is useful for everyone, not just top athletes. It reduces fatigue and muscular pain, promoting faster recovery after exercise.
Compression equipment such as sleeves and socks exert pressure in a progressive or tapering manner. This means they apply higher pressure to the ankle.
This pressure gradually decreases as you move up below the knee, or conversely, a higher pressure at the knee decreases as you move down towards the ankle.
Poor blood circulation can impair performance by reducing muscle oxygenation, and slow recovery by hindering the elimination of metabolic waste products.
Stimulating circulation is therefore essential. Their principle is to promote venous return by limiting vein dilation, while providing muscular support to prevent micro-lesions.
Compression exerts pressure on the muscles, stabilizing them during mobilization. This action has been proven to reduce muscular vibrations and oscillations, which are at the root of micro-lesions and, consequently, muscle soreness.
Wearing a compression sleeve during exercise has been shown to significantly reduce these effects. This reduction in muscular vibration also makes an important contribution to injury prevention. By adjusting the pressure exerted by the sleeve, it is possible to reduce muscular vibrations and oscillations by 16% to 20%.
To optimize your recovery, don’t wait until the end of your workout. In fact, it’s important to wear compression garments during exercise. Compression T-shirts wick moisture away from the body, unlike cotton T-shirts. This ensures adequate thermal regulation in both hot and cold weather.
Compression helps increase blood flow to the muscles by exerting pressure. This process reduces the production of lactic acid and toxins, reducing pain and recovery time between exercise sessions.
Several recovery techniques are available for athletes. These include hydrotherapy, stretching and cryotherapy.
Today, compression garments play a crucial role in the treatment of lymphatic and circulatory disorders. They promote venous return through gradual pressure on the limbs, from proximal to distal.
What’s more, this external pressure reduces the space between muscles, limiting swelling and evenly aligning muscle fibers to reduce inflammation and soreness.
Recovery is crucial to performance. Compression garments are a simple and effective way of ensuring active, high-quality recovery.
To correctly choose sports compression products, consider two measurements: calf or forearm circumference and the individual’s height.
For some products, the shoe size is also important. Avoid products that are too tight to avoid the tourniquet effect, which blocks blood circulation and can cause pain.
Compression sleeves can be divided into two main categories: those for the upper limbs and those for the lower limbs.
Compression sleeves for the upper limbs are specially designed for sports involving the arms, such as tennis, basketball, handball or rowing.
Compression sleeves for running are designed to be worn on the lower limbs.
It is imperative to position the sleeve correctly, taking care not to leave it too loose, as this would result in ineffective pressure and cancel out its effect.
Likewise, it should not be excessively tight, as this could restrict mobility and comfort, and more importantly, disrupt the natural flow of blood circulation.
Lors de vos sessions de running, la compression favorise une meilleure circulation sanguine dans les jambes. Ce qui réduit la fatigue musculaire, diminue le risque de crampes et contribue à accélérer la récupération post-effort. Maximisez votre vitesse et votre endurance en choisissant la tenue de course parfaite, que ce soit pour des courses de 10 km, des marathons ou des distances plus longues. Assurez-vous de sélectionner des vêtements qui évacuent efficacement la transpiration, offrent un confort optimal, une légèreté incomparable, ainsi qu'un soutien musculaire et postural. Ainsi, vous éviterez les sensations inconfortables, tel que les ampoules et les douleurs musculaires qui peuvent nuire à vos performances.
Améliorez votre confiance et vos performances lors des descentes en maintenant votre vitesse et assurance grâce aux manchons de compression. En appliquant une pression sur la peau, la cheville et les muscles du mollet, ces manchons activent les récepteurs cutanés et musculaires, améliorant ainsi la proprioception et renforçant votre confiance dans les descentes techniques. L'absence de compression lors d'un trail peut entraîner divers problèmes tels que tendinites, fatigue musculaire et crampes.
Découvrez nos chaussettesIndispensables pour la randonnée, conçus pour vous offrir confort et performance lors de vos escapades en montagne, sur chemins ou routes. Les manchons de compression apportent une compression ciblée au niveau du mollet, favorisant la circulation, la récupération et la prévention des blessures. Les chaussettes de compression pour la randonnée garantissent résistance, confort et ventilation, grâce à des renforts stratégiques et des techniques anti-frottements. Enfin, les cuissards spécialement conçus pour la randonnée assurent un maintien anatomique, réduisant les courbatures et les risques de blessures pour une expérience en plein air sans compromis.
Jusqu’à récemment les chaussettes de compression étaient notamment populaires parmi les amateurs de course à pied. Mais elles sont utilisées de plus en plus par les cyclistes et vététistes. Roulez plus vite et plus longtemps avec des chaussettes de vélo spécialisé. Grâce aux fibres aérées et extensibles, vos pieds resteront à l'aise tout au long de votre trajet, éliminant ainsi les sensations désagréables comme les brûlures.
L'efficacité de la compression s'étend à plusieurs disciplines sportives, elle doit être adaptée en fonction des objectifs visés, tels que la récupération ou la gestion de l'effort. L'usage de la compression optimise le processus de récupération, ce qui permettra à une personne de s’entraîner plus fréquemment, donc intensifier son volume d'entraînement hebdomadaire. Particulièrement pour les sportifs novices, qui démarrent avec un niveau d'entraînement moins avancé, les bénéfices de la compression se font davantage ressentir. Leurs muscles, moins habitués à l'effort, réagissent plus fortement aux courbatures et aux vibrations. C'est pourquoi une augmentation progressive de la charge d'entraînement est obligatoire.
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