Compression Sleeves: 5 Reasons You Should Wear Them

These days, you may see a short colorful fabric band that starts at the forearm and goes just a few inches above the elbow. These arm compression sleeves are becoming more common among triathletes, softball and baseball players, field hockey players, soccer players and other outdoor sport enthusiasts, but also in the gym. They’re not just a fashion statement, although they do add to your workout look. In fact, there are many benefits to wearing a compression sleeve.

Here are five reasons why you might consider wearing a compression sleeve.

1. Protects the skin. Compression sleeves can help protect your arms and legs from sunlight’s damaging UV rays, but they also act like another layer of skin. Whether you’re sliding into base or stretching for a soccer ball as the goalie, the fabric will stay in place to protect the skin from scrapes and burns. This makes them an ideal choice for field play and other outdoor activities.

2. Improved performance. There is research hat shows that compression on the muscles can help them perform better. The compression aids in circulation and can act like pump to help the muscles contract. Additionally, there is research that shows that compression can have a psychological effect helping athletes to feel more confident and improve performance.

3. Improved muscle recovery. By simply wearing a compression sleeve during your workouts, you may find that you have less muscle soreness and faster muscle recovery. Research studies have shown that compression garments aid in circulation and thus remove lactic acid faster and bring in fresh blood flow to quickly heal the trauma from working out. The delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS) may be significantly reduced which also means you can get back into the gym faster.

4. Aids in body temperature regulation. A compression sleeve can help maintain or increase muscle temperature which is key for optimal muscle contractions. We’ve all heard about the importance of warming up before performing athletic activities. By wearing compression garments, you’ll find the muscles warm up faster and stay warm. This may help reduce the risk of injuries for larger muscles groups but also can help protect the joints they cover, like the elbow in the case for compression sleeves.

5. Reduce vibration and avoid muscle strain. By wearing a compression sleeve, the elastic compression can help minimize both muscle and joint vibration. Compression arm sleeves cover the biceps and triceps as well as the forearm extensors and flexors. When lifting weights, the muscles can vibrate based on the amount of weight used. Wearing an arm sleeve may reduce the vibration and risk of straining the muscles during an intense workout.