Forums >Racing>What's with the knee socks?
Fight The Future
Sort of ran into a local race this weekend, and was surprised to see many people wearing those really unattractive knee socks from Nike and all. Is this a new fad? Anyone around here wear these, in spite of their sense of style?
I assume they were all wearing compression socks. I haven't tried them myself, but they are supposed to "improve oxygen delivery to muscles, speed lactic acid removal and stabilize the lower leg for greater muscle efficiency". Whether or not they actually work I have no idea, but of course some people swear by them. Some people just use them after runs for faster recovery. I'm sure some people just think they look cool and will make them stand out.
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Half Fanatic #846
I sometimes wear the style that starts at the ankle and stops just below the knee for a few hours after a long run if my legs feel tired - the compression helps my legs feel better. Never felt the need to wear them during a race, though.
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MoBramExam
So wonder why all the people at the front of the pack are not wearing them??
Not sure what race you were at, but here is a photo from a little thing they did in Boston back in April.
Dave
OK, well, on them, they look good, I admit.
That wasn't what the crowd looked like back in wave 2, though
I decided to try them during medium and long runs this training season. After a few runs, I really didn't notice a difference when I wore them vs. not wearing them so I stopped. Then today, I thought I'd try them during my recovery run since I did a pretty hard MP workout yesterday. Not sure I noticed much of a difference today, either. So, I'm not a convert yet.
But, wait? You're telling me I didn't look good wearing them? (I wouldn't look directly at the picture for more than 10 seconds less you burn your retinas).
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Here's a good review of compression socks in general and the lack of definitive evidence either way on their effectiveness: http://www.scienceofrunning.com/2010/07/compression-socks.html
I think it sounds like wearing them before or after races would be most beneficial if at all.
I like this quote from it now that we are pointing out the elites who wear them:
"In general, if one or two athletes are using it, they are either far ahead of the curve or it’s not worthwhile. It’s when you get a significant amount of athletes having success with a product or training method that you start to take notice."
I can say though that I don't think it hurts to wear them, except in the wallet.
How far back are Desisa, Kogo, Geb, Hartmann, and Korir when this picture was taken? . My guess is THESE ladies are not wearing them for free.
Just got a coupon for free recovery compression socks from ec3d in my virtual race bag today! Looks like I'll be trying these things out and deciding for myself whether I think they help or not.
Proboscis Colossus
Heh, I just noticed how the Nike "Swoosh" symbol of Kara & Shalane's sponsor is right above the Adidas logo on their bibs in that picture. A little bit of cognitive dissonance, there.
Anyway, I'm considering giving them a try. I tend to have a lot of pain in my calves after long runs and marathons, and I'm wondering if they'd help with that. Also...and this is scarcely a good reason to wear them, I know...at a recent night race, I got behind a dude wearing the neon yellow CEP sleeves. Boy, they did a great job placing photoreflective "hits" all over them! It was like I was running behind Tron when my headlamp hit him. Since I often run in low light conditions (on mostly empty back country roads, but still...), I'm a big fan of having as many glowy bits on me as possible, and if it might help with recovery in the bargain...worth a try.
"God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people
I wear them occasionally, but only when it feels too cold to be completely bare-legged but not cold enough for pants/tights. They also kind of make me feel faster, the way really short shorts do.
If you ask
I love knee socks! I wear bright, colorful girly socks, not compression sleeves. I, too, llike them in the fall with shorts, as it helps (if only mentally) me feel warmer before a race.
Another benefit is wearing them during trail races/runs. Great protection from poison ivy, and wearing white knee socks helps me see those pesky ticks on my ankles.
I use them mostly because I have hallux rigidus (basically toe arthritis) and they helped with the sock bunching. For some reason, the toe gets too tight while running and bunches every other sock in existence, but compression socks.
Apart from that, I have found that whenever I run MLRs, LRs, marathons or ultras without the compression socks, I am more sore than when I do use them. Therefore, I feel that the compression socks help me in recovery whenever I use them during the run.
Your experience may vary.
Damaris
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