Calf Sleeves - Any use ?

miller82

Have many used these ?
Any thoughts ?
Any brands better in your experience ?

I wouldnt be bothered with them normally, but training for IM so thought they might be worth looking

Izoard

miller82 wrote: »

Have many used these ?
Any thoughts ?
Any brands better in your experience ?

I wouldnt be bothered with them normally, but training for IM so thought they might be worth looking

Could be a placebo, but I've had a lot less achilles problems when using them, primarily in cold weather.

You get what you pay for - Compressport are great, thought the 2XU version were for asthetics only...

miller82

Izoard wrote: »

for asthetics only...

yeah, that would have been my initial thoughts on them. Hence the thread to see if anyone is a firm believer in them

couerdelion

Aren't sure how much of it is a placebo effect.

Wore them doing a half marathon before Christmas and didn't pull one up properly so it came down - cramped in the calf that had the guard on, the one where it rolled down was fine.

I don't think there's many more bits of kit that says 'triathlete' more than calf guards

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

Aren't sure how much of it is a placebo effect.

Wore them doing a half marathon before Christmas and didn't pull one up properly so it came down - cramped in the calf that had the guard on, the one where it rolled down was fine.

I don't think there's many more bits of kit that says 'triathlete' more than calf guards

What do lime green ones say ?

miller82

couerdelion wrote: »

I don't think there's many more bits of kit that says 'triathlete' more than calf guards

ha , also something that is in my thoughts

peter kern

for all what its worth , the english institute of sport would say they are useful if you have a semifinal race and a final race the day after (as recovery is improved in first 24 hours . slightly detrimental for day to day use ( like ice bath ) as 72 hours later recovery is slower than without.
that was a test using it after competiton or hard training, not while training.

Oryx

I asked about compression wear before, does it actually work. The response was mixed too.

But my calves cramp if I'm swimming in a wetsuit, without one they don't. A guy in Austria quit because his feet swelled so bad on the bike he couldn't keep going. He was wearing compression sleeves on his calves. Stuff like that puts me off them.

joey100

I've worn the compressport ones in the past during training and racing and to be honest found no real difference in my calves cramping, they cramped not matter what I wore.

They only really get used now if my legs are tired and I sleep in them, find they help that way. Only wear them once every two or three weeks though.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Dont like racing with the calf guards on but perfect for recovery. The less tighter run socks i do feel help over long distances. Recently have started using quad guards and i am finding them great for both bike & run as i often tend to have some cramping issues in the quads. Most of it probably placebo.

dited

I've used the Compressport ones, originally to try to alleviate shin splints about a year and a half ago. They worked a bit; running with them on it definitely felt like different muscles were being used, or used more than usual, and I got some short term relief for a few runs. The efficacy seemed to diminish after a few weeks of using them for every run though.

I just wear them at night for recovery the odd time now; maybe my running style has changed but they don't feel comfortable anymore while running.

miller82

dited wrote: »

I've used the Compressport ones, originally to try to alleviate shin splints about a year and a half ago. They worked a bit; running with them on it definitely felt like different muscles were being used, or used more than usual, and I got some short term relief for a few runs. The efficacy seemed to diminish after a few weeks of using them for every run though.

I just wear them at night for recovery the odd time now; maybe my running style has changed but they don't feel comfortable anymore while running.

i also have a constant battle with shin splints and the only thing that works for me is wearing these neoprene calf sleeves

wear them about 4 days a week, and always when i've done a run. one on each leg. They are neoprene material, so a lot thicker and stronger. i never really run with them though. worth a try if you are still suffering

Izoard

Oryx wrote: »

I asked about compression wear before, does it actually work. The response was mixed too.

But my calves cramp if I'm swimming in a wetsuit, without one they don't. A guy in Austria quit because his feet swelled so bad on the bike he couldn't keep going. He was wearing compression sleeves on his calves. Stuff like that puts me off them.

I bumped into a French guy at the Abu Dhabi Long Distance race, who claimed to be a Compressport rep and he was apoplectic about how tight/small my calf guards were.
I think he thought my mis-sizing was an outrageous abuse of the brand or whatever...:)

They feel good to me and are required kit for any race - would use them in training if I was having problems with the calves/achilles....

kingQuez

Haven't used calf guards, but I use 1000mile compression socks after hard runs, or when calfs are tender after cranking up volume. No idea if they actually help recovery, but they make walking about and getting on with things less painful. Not sure what (if anything) they'd do to help with shin splints.

RacoonQueen

miller82 wrote: »

i also have a constant battle with shin splints and the only thing that works for me is wearing these neoprene calf sleeves

wear them about 4 days a week, and always when i've done a run. one on each leg. They are neoprene material, so a lot thicker and stronger. i never really run with them though. worth a try if you are still suffering

How do the calf sleeves help with shin splints? If you have a constant battle with them then the sleeves are only papering over the cracks, something else needs to be done/changed

Always wondered about the compression socks/calf guards thing. My calves get tight but it's nothing that causes me discomfort that would make me want to try something like that.

Izoard

RacoonQueen wrote: »

How do the calf sleeves help with shin splints? If you have a constant battle with them then the sleeves are only papering over the cracks, something else needs to be done/changed

Always wondered about the compression socks/calf guards thing. My calves get tight but it's nothing that causes me discomfort that would make me want to try something like that.

Sigh...you flirt with us over here, but you really don't get the whole tri thing.
The benefits are always secondary to looking the part.

miller82

RacoonQueen wrote: »

How do the calf sleeves help with shin splints? If you have a constant battle with them then the sleeves are only papering over the cracks, something else needs to be done/changed

Always wondered about the compression socks/calf guards thing. My calves get tight but it's nothing that causes me discomfort that would make me want to try something like that.

I have no idea how they work, all i know is that they do work.

RacoonQueen

miller82 wrote: »

I have no idea how they work, all i know is that they do work.

But then your shin splints come back? What I'm saying is if you're suffering with shin splints and the calf sleeves relieve it but don't 'fix' it then they're not exactly 'working'. You need to treat the cause of the shin splints, most likely its your gait/shoes.

miller82

RacoonQueen wrote: »

But then your shin splints come back? What I'm saying is if you're suffering with shin splints and the calf sleeves relieve it but don't 'fix' it then they're not exactly 'working'. You need to treat the cause of the shin splints, most likely its your gait/shoes.

I use them as part of the process. Getting slightly off topic here, but i've had physio for them, tried various excercises , spent 360 euro on poxy orthothics that did nothing (actually brough on another injury IMO), so i went back to managing them (shin splints) better. I never run two days in a row, always wear the calf sleeves after running for at least a day, only do one long (over 15km) run week and do a fair bit of work on my roller, and although they do get a little tender every so often, they really arent an issue.

When i started the thread i wasnt really asking about the sleeves for shin splints, it was more in terms of calves and the bike to run process over long distances i.e IM, and if anyone felt they helped , and i was talking more about the lighter one's than i wear post run, i.e the compresssport one's

tunney

http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2013/03/01/how-compression-gear-works

Apt

RacoonQueen

miller82 wrote: »

I use them as part of the process. Getting slightly off topic here, but i've had physio for them, tried various excercises , spent 360 euro on poxy orthothics that did nothing (actually brough on another injury IMO), so i went back to managing them (shin splints) better. I never run two days in a row, always wear the calf sleeves after running for at least a day, only do one long (over 15km) run week and do a fair bit of work on my roller, and although they do get a little tender every so often, they really arent an issue.

When i started the thread i wasnt really asking about the sleeves for shin splints, it was more in terms of calves and the bike to run process over long distances i.e IM, and if anyone felt they helped , and i was talking more about the lighter one's than i wear post run, i.e the compresssport one's

Sorry, not having a go or anything. I don't really see the point of compressionwear...then I don't need to use it so I wouldn't. Shin splints thing just got to me, 'shin splints' are probably the most treatable/preventable injury.

sconhome

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I don't really see the point of compressionwear...

Everyone knows they are so you can identify fellow triathletes at road races!!

(Which by the way are only ever considered training runs)

tunney

amphkingwest wrote: »

Everyone knows they are so you can identify fellow triathletes at road races!!

(Which by the way are only ever considered training runs)

Sweet jesus I remember a lad ran a road race in the park in an IRL green tri suit and compression socks. Really wanted to trip him up.