Compression Garments And Recovery While Hiking

"Is it better to use compression garments while hiking, or in recovery and/or sleep?"​

Sports compression garments can be a handy addition to a hiker's arsenal. And they can be quite useful to aid recovery after a big day on the trail, and to help your legs wake up feeling fresh!

How To Use Compression Tights While Hiking

I am a big fan of using sports compression garments while hiking and training. And I think sports compression tights or socks can be a really, really good addition to a hiker's arsenal.

The reason I like these for hikers is specifically for recovery.

The whole idea around them, when it comes down to recovery, is ultimately when we are hiking, exercising and moving around, we have lots and lots of circulation as our blood gets pumped around.

When we finish hiking or exercising, our circulation slows a bit (since our muscles are not demanding as much oxygen for movement).

One factor we want to be aware of is if we have been exercising hard, sometimes there will be certain 'waste products' in the body. These are not scary by any means (and are a natural consequence of exercise). And the body will naturally go back to normal over time.

But, if we can speed this process up, it can often aid our recovery, reduce sore muscles and help us feel a bit fresher the next day.

One way to do this is what is known as 'active recovery'. Where we do light, gentle exercise after a big training/hiking day. Which can definitely work.

But not many people want to go out and do MORE walking or exercising after they have finished a big day of hiking...

The idea behind sports compression garments is that they can increase circulation while we are at rest and help the recovery process.

So it doesn't require any extra effort.

The benefits of using sports compression garments after hiking include:

• Reducing sore muscles
• Aiding sore or achy joints after hikes
• Helping the legs feel more 'fresh' when you wake up in the morning

When To Use Sports Compression Tights While Hiknig

If doing an overnighter or multi-day hike, I recommend wearing them for a few hours while you are in camp.

So you would finish your day of hiking, change into them, and wear them for a few hours as you are setting up camp and having dinner.

Alternatively, you can wear them while you are sleeping.

If you can comfortably sleep in them, they can be great. But many people find them a bit too tight (and getting good sleep is crucial for recovery, so we don't want to compromise this).

If you are doing day hikes, you can wear these on the drive home, in the evening at home, or overnight.

Should You Wear Compression Garments During Hiking?

There is nothing wrong with wearing sports compression garments while hiking. But they probably won't make a massive difference to your performance or recovery (as you will already have lots of circulation going on).

Some hikers just like the feeling of having that compression and feel like it helps them. So if that is you, go for it.

Some hikers who struggle with sore or achy knees will also feel more comfortable having some pressure on the area (similar to wearing a knee sleeve). And when we are dealing with knee pain while hiking, any improvement to comfort is something to take seriously!

(To be clear, these will do nothing to 'prevent' injury - but some people find it helps aches and pains more manageable)

The main situation where you will get benefits from wearing compression garments while hiking is in cold weather.

Where the weather is chilly, and you are doing lots of stopping and starting (if you were doing lots of photography, or with a group that stops a lot or something similar). In this situation, having the tights to keep you warm and aid circulation during the constant stopping may be beneficial.

What Compression Garments Are Best For Hikers?

I recommend sports compression garments for hikes. These are designed to be worn during exercise.

I do not recommend hospital or medical-grade garments for hiking (unless your medical specialist has specifically recommended them for some reason).

As for brands? It doesn't really matter. There are dozens of brands out there, and most are pretty good.

Just find something which is called 'sports compression garments' (or tights). If you can find something with the work recovery in it, even better.

If you have the opportunity and access, I recommend going down to a local sporting goods store and trying some on (to ensure you get the right size). But if not, there are many options you can get online.

Summary

Ultimately, if you are looking for an easy thing that can aid your recovery and help your legs feel good on multi-day and big hikes, sports compression tights or socks can be really, really good. And it can be a really nice addition to a hiking pack.

Yours in trekking,

Rowan ​

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