What Are Compression Socks?

What are compression socks, and why are pro athletes wearing them? Watch your favorite NFL team closely and you’ll notice many of the players wearing specially designed VO2fx® graduated compression socks as part of their game day uniform.

What you don’t realize is that many players from around the NFL are also wearing VO2fx® compression socks for rehab from injuries, post-game recovery and while travelling.

“Our guys love VO2fx! Wearing the VO2fx graduated compression socks makes their legs feel energized. They tell me their legs have never felt better during or after a game. ”
- Steve Urbaniak, NFL Equipment Manager, San Francisco.

So, what are compression socks?

VO2fx® compression socks are made with graduated compression technology. This means there is a measured amount of compression exerted at the ankle, and the amount of compression gradually reduces as the sock reaches up the leg to below the knee.

The compression range is always referred to in “mmHg”, which is the millimeters of mercury displayed on a medical compression measuring device. All you need to know is that unless a product displays the range of compression i.e. 15-20mmHg or 20-30mmHg on the package, it is not a graduated compression sock.

So beware of generic “compression socks” you see advertised. The compression isn’t graduated which means they can actually constrict your blood flow and cause serious issues. This is particularly true if the compression range is inverted – meaning more compression beneath the knee and less at the ankle. Always check for measured, graduated compression (mmHg).

Graduated compression is medical technology that has been used in the medical field for decades to assist patients with medical issues related to poor circulation and for recovery/rehab from surgery.

Now, because graduated compression socks are able to increase the circulation to your lower legs, they are able to supply more oxygenated blood to your muscles. And for an athlete, this is very beneficial!

And here’s the bottom line. Graduated compression socks have been clinically proven to increase circulation in several medical studies. They’re also the standard preventative treatment in hospitals for DVT (deep vein thrombosis) blood clots and during recovery and rehab from surgery.