Compression underwear

Compression underwear is a special type of clothing designed to correct pathological processes and accelerate the recovery period.

The main principle of operation of compression underwear is to purposefully squeeze the superficial and deep veins in the upward direction, narrow the blood vessels and accelerate the blood flow of the cardiovascular system, as a result of which more oxygen enters the muscles, decay products are removed faster, which, in turn, promotes rapid rehabilitation processes. Simply put, compression garments, by squeezing the veins, pushes out stagnant blood and makes it move.

Despite the emergence and successful use of tight dressings as rehabilitation means for the military and athletes, as well as for medicinal purposes, going far into history, underwear of this type is still ambiguously perceived by medical scientists, but practice proves the undoubted advantages of its use in a number of cases:

• medical indications;
• sport;
• beauty industry.

The range of medical indications for wearing compression underwear is wide: varicose veins, pregnancy and the postpartum period, postoperative recovery period, injury rehabilitation.

Venous insufficiency and varicose veins are a problem for overweight people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, and it is not necessarily a fat person who sits still all day. Pregnant women in whom the manifestation of this disease is associated with an increase in intra-abdominal pressure and load on the legs are at risk.In this case, the wearing of compression garments is prolonged for the postpartum period to support the weakened abdominal muscles and in order to prevent prolapse of the pelvic organs. They often suffer from varicose veins and people who, by the nature of their profession, have to spend the whole working day on their feet. It is a pity to admit it, but the love of high heels can also not pass without leaving a trace for the vessels of the legs.

Varicose veins are not just ugly stripes and spots protruding on the legs, it is a complex disease accompanied by pain, discomfort and swelling in the legs, a disease that is easier to prevent than cure. It is recommended to start wearing compression underwear already at the first appearance of spider veins or discomfort in the lower legs at the end of the working day.

The postoperative period, especially if the operation was performed on the legs and a significant length of bed rest is expected, can also be facilitated by reducing pain and normalizing blood circulation, thereby minimizing the likelihood of thromboembolism by using compression medical underwear.

Compression underwear used for sports purposes is primarily intended for elastic fixation of different parts of the body, as a result of which trauma is reduced, and the sensation of the body in space increases, being one of the ways to improve coordination.

Unlike medical underwear, which does not differ in particular wearing comfort, sports compression underwear has a lower degree of compression, but has better thermoregulatory and elastic properties, and also looks much more attractive from an aesthetic point of view. Reducing energy losses during training and quick recovery after them, reducing the degree of fatigue of the main muscle groups, stabilizing their temperature leads, in turn, to an increase in the body's endurance, which allows you to achieve high sports results.

The most controversial, however, rather popular type of compression garment is used for body shaping purposes. If the use of compression underwear during workouts undoubtedly increases their effectiveness due to additional stress on muscles and skin, as well as increased sweating, and as a result, weight loss, then the constant wearing of this type of underwear purely for visually correcting the figure may not be the best. affect your health.

Of course, if you need to visually lose a few kilograms very quickly, but for a relatively short time, then the help of compression underwear will be simply invaluable. It is not known where the missing fat folds on the sides, buttocks, under the shoulder blades are; a fit silhouette, the ability to wear a dress of a smaller size than usual for a gala event or just for dinner at a restaurant - an excellent result with low energy and financial costs.

However, if you plan to achieve harmony from day to day only by wearing this type of underwear, then your health will sooner or later be in jeopardy, and a delayed or too protracted solution to the problem of weight correction will result in irreversible consequences. It will be much more literate to simultaneously influence your figure by cultivating in yourself the cultural habits of eating and wearing compression underwear ... in the gym.

There are not so many contraindications to wearing compression underwear, but they are. This type of underwear should not be worn in the presence of blood vessel diseases; diseases associated with circulatory disorders; suffering from diabetes mellitus and various types of dermatitis, as well as in the presence of open wounds.In addition, wearing underwear with a high degree of compression is contraindicated for smokers, as well as daily long-term wearing (up to 12 hours) of compression clothing for the purpose of body shaping.

By appointment:

1. Medical:

• preventive;
• medicinal;
• rehabilitation.

1. Sports:

• for training - depending on the types of sports (basketball, football, athletics), intended for arms, legs, chest;
• for competitions;
• restorative.

1. Corrective:

• for training;
• for wearing under clothes.

According to the degree of compression, compression garments are divided into 4 classes (from mild edema to serious disturbance of lymph flow). Class 1 linen is freely sold in pharmacies and you can choose it based on your own ideas about the need, class 2-4 linen is prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

By form:

• elastic bandages;
• socks;
• knee socks;
• stockings;
• gaiters;
• sprinters (shorts);
• tights (leggings);
• loincloths;
• panties, underpants-bandages;
• bras;
• swimwear;
• tops;
• T-shirts;
• t-shirts;
• sweaters;
• overalls.

Large size compression (corrective) underwear has become widespread among women and men. Made, as a rule, not as a solid cloth, but equipped with special inserts in the abdomen, buttocks, on the sides, such underwear is aimed not only at a visual reduction in size and silhouette correction, but also at strengthening the muscles that hold the spine and abdominal muscles. Modern seamless technologies make it possible to wear the correct corrective underwear under sufficiently tight clothing, while remaining invisible. A real salvation for obese women who do not want to give up active recreation at the sea or classes in the pool are corrective swimwear of large sizes.

Compression underwear for a pregnant woman should be selected by a phlebologist who will determine the required size and degree of compression:

• Briefs or underpants-bandage. Designed to support a growing belly; allow you to redistribute weight, thereby unloading the spine and relieving pain; worn over regular panties. Can be worn before and after childbirth.
• Knee-highs, stockings, tights. The main task is to prevent or alleviate the already existing disease of varicose veins, relieve swelling and fatigue of the legs.

The most popular modern manufacturers of compression garments are:

• the Russian company "Intex", in the assortment of which there are tights, stockings and knee-highs of the regular and light version, as well as bandages and belts;
• Native, also a Russian brand that received the National Quality Mark medal in 2015, specializing in the production of compression underwear in several areas: the rehabilitation period after cardiac surgery, postpartum, sports, corrective;
• another Russian manufacturer "Valento", which produces different types of compression underwear for women and men (sports, postoperative, pre- and postnatal, corrective) from Italian materials;
• the German company "Medi", which produces not only compression underwear (knee-highs, stockings, tights, belts, bandages), but also prosthetic and orthopedic products;
• "Reebok", the compression underwear of this brand (from sports bras to overalls) is deservedly popular all over the world among professional athletes and beginners just starting their first training;
• the Australian firm "Skins", which, together with NASA engineers, developed very thin and soft compression sportswear and thermal underwear;
• the Swiss company "Sigvaris", which produces compression underwear in three directions: sigvaris medical, sigvaris prophylaxis and sigvaris sports;
• American manufacturer "Under Armor", whose specialty is a sports compression rashguard overalls.

In order to choose the right compression underwear, you need to build on three factors: purpose, type of activity and size.

If you choose compression underwear for medical reasons (from pregnancy to postoperative recovery), then you must first consult with a phlebologist who will help you determine the type and size of underwear, as well as the degree of compression, since incorrectly selected underwear will not only help to relieve your condition, but also worsen it.

Athletes are guided by the composition of this type of underwear (it must be 100% synthetic, since it is these materials that provide its elasticity and compression effect), the weaving of the product's threads (round or flat), the exact size (underwear must fit the body perfectly, not rub when running and active actions) and appearance (good mood for an athlete is one of the keys to future victory).

Corrective underwear is selected mainly based on the specific desires of correcting certain parts of the body, the capabilities of the wallet and personal taste. The modern shapewear market can satisfy any consumer demand: from simple high-waisted panties to an erotic bodysuit.

Any compression garment must be worn correctly, this is the only way to achieve the desired result when using it. Medical underwear (most often, these are knee-highs, stockings or tights) should be put on immediately after waking up, before getting out of bed, until fluid begins to accumulate in the legs, which subsequently leads to the appearance of edema.

Doctors say that compression garments should be removed quite easily, but putting them on will require some effort.

There are even special devices to make it easier to put on and take off medical compression underwear, which is of particular relevance for people with large dimensions or disabilities.

It is necessary to wear this type of underwear during the day, however, it is recommended to take it off at night to give the skin a rest, especially since when a person is in a horizontal position, no compression is created, which means there is no need to be in such underwear.

Separately, we can say about wearing corrective underwear. It is no secret that in their desire to get more graceful outlines of the figure and visually lose a few pounds, women can go to great lengths, for example, to knowingly choose the wrong size of lingerie. The result is not long in coming: at best, even more unsightly appearance (the notorious "sausage in a net"), at worst - strong, hard-to-heal rubbing.

When caring for compression hosiery, you must follow the directions on the garment label. In order for such underwear to serve you for a long time and not lose its properties, you must remember that:

• compression knitwear, most often cannot be machine washed, however, modern automatic washing machines will not harm your laundry (with the exception of products with silicone elements that should not interact with water at all), if you use a delicate wash without spinning;
• it cannot be bleached and cannot be used with fabric softener;
• for hand wash, the water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees;

• shampoo is best as a detergent;
• can not be dried in the open sun and at high temperatures;
• it is recommended to dry, slightly wrung out in a towel, on a horizontal surface;

Compression underwear can be bought at different retail outlets: from pharmacies (medical compression underwear) to online stores (in the case of branded imported products, this is often the only way to get an original product).

Compression knitwear is by no means cheap, prices for it, depending on the purpose, type of linen, size, brand promotion of the manufacturer, can be in a very wide range.

As a rule, reviews about the purchase of compression underwear are divided into two categories: those who bought cheap underwear of unknown origin and owners of this type of jersey purchased from pharmacies or specialized stores.

The usual complaints of the former are, most often, poor quality of tailoring, rapid loss of properties, and uncomfortable wear.

In the reviews of the second category, there are practically no complaints about the quality of the products, all emotions are either positive or are of a recommendatory nature. In the case of dissatisfaction, it often turns out that it is caused by one's own wrong choice.