If you’ve had an injury or are in recovery from something, odds are you have at some point come across the question of whether compression sleeves are worth it. It seems to be one of those things that are so hit-or-miss in opinion. Compression sleeves provide both light flexibility and deep compression to keep muscles warm and comfortable while supporting muscles that need it most. A compression arm sleeve is specifically designed to provide support and comfort for muscle recovery, but this same logic can be applied to many other kinds of injuries. Here’s a look at why compression sleeves help an injury.
Increase Blood Flow to Muscles
Compression sleeves for muscle recovery increase blood flow and keep muscles loose and ready for action. This includes recovery from injury so that the muscles don’t stiffen up. Compression sleeves can be used by anyone, from athletes to those who are in rehab from an injury. The long-term effects of wearing a sleeve are not fully known, but many people have plenty of experience using these devices in their daily lives.
Help Muscles Expand and Stretch
The deep compression in a sleeve is designed to help muscles expand and stretch more easily to have more room to heal. The deep compression helps give a gentle massage that can be applied in just the right places. This deep compression can also help with pain relief for sore muscles from injury and healing. Most sleeves are designed to be worn on the arms, but some are designed for use on other parts of the body as well.
Help to Prevent and Reduce Swelling
Compression sleeves are specifically made to keep muscles warm since they are designed to keep muscles warm through increased blood flow and a gentle massage. This warmth and blood flow also help control swelling in a calm state so that muscles don’t swell up. Athletes who use compression sleeves to keep muscles warm during recovery can effectively prevent and reduce swelling.
Provide Support for Weakened Tissues
The deep compression also supports tissues that have lost some of their normal strength. The increased blood flow helps the tissues be rested and ready, and the deep compression helps them feel more stable. The sleeves can help in the healing process but can’t be used for a full recovery from something like an injury.
Reduce Muscle Fatigue
The increased blood flow can also help keep muscles more relaxed and more able to work, which means less muscle fatigue. This can be helpful for muscles that need to be able to recover quickly or for those who want to sleep better while sleeping in a compression sleeve.
The short-term effects of wearing the Compression sleeve are often debated by supporters and opponents. Some people have seen improvement in pain levels with compression sleeves, while others have said that they don’t see a difference. Like everything else, the situation varies from person to person, and what works best for one person may not work at all for another. The most important thing is experimenting on your own body and finding what makes you feel most comfortable.
