Calf & Shin Supports Buyer's Guide
Calf and shin supports apply compression and give therapeutic warmth to the structures of the lower leg. Used along with physiotherapy treatment, calf and shin supports are effective in relieving pain, treating injuries and chronic conditions, as well as preventing the onset of calf and shin injuries. The muscles that can benefit from calf and shin supports include; Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Peroneal muscles, Tibialis Posterior and Tibialis Anterior.
The aim of this Buyer's Guide is to help you to choose the best calf and shin support to meet your needs.
Calf Supports
Wrap-around calf supports or calf support sleeves are designed to prevent and relieve injuries to the calf muscle. The calf muscles are important for pushing off during walking and running and provide a lot of power in sport activities. A calf muscle strain is a common sports injury, particularly in sports that involve running, jumping and sudden changes in speed and direction. If you have a sudden, sharp pain in your calf, experience calf pain when you stretch the calf muscle, or when you stand on tip toe, it is likely that you have a calf muscle strain. Used along with the RICE protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation), Calf Supports can provide pain relief and speed up the healing of calf muscle injuries. Neoprene calf supports, especially if tightened with Velcro straps, apply compression and therapeutic heat to the calf muscle to stimulate blood flow and accelerate the healing process. You can also use a Calf Support to give reassurance and prevent re-occurrence of the calf injury on your return to sporting activity.
Calf Supports Product Range
Shin Splints Supports
Shin Splints Support Sleeves are applied to the lower leg to relieve pain in the shin. 'Shin Splints' is a general term for shin pain that can be due to a number of conditions. Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, a shin problem commonly labelled 'Shin Splints', is an irritation of the Tibia (shin bone). In runners, Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome is caused by over-use, which affects those who run on hard surfaces the most. With a 'Shin Splints' soft tissue injury, such as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, a Shin Splints Support can be an effective treatment that allows you to continue to run. Shin Splints Supports work by restricting the pull of muscles in the shin, which can reduce the stresses on the shin during running. Although not a cure for Shin Splints, they can reduce their symptoms, apply compression and reassurance to sufficiently allow runners to continue training and racing.
Shin Splints Supports Product Range
Compression Socks
Compression socks are designed to apply consistent, gentle pressure to the calf muscles so that venous blood keeps flowing to the heart, and waste products are drained from the tissues via the lymphatic system. The Calf muscles work to pump blood back to the heart as their position at the lower leg is at a gravitational disadvantage meaning when an injury occurs, circulation can be compromised and the healing process impaired. It is important to keep the venous blood flowing, after injury blood is vital to bring nutrients to the injury site therefore compression socks can be used to promote healing. In situations where you are still for a prolonged period, such as while traveling, or resting following an injury, to prevent your blood flow becoming sluggish and possibly clotting, forming a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Lymphatic drainage is the removal of wastes and toxins from muscle and soft tissue, which can be speeded up by the gentle compression provided by Compression Socks. This helps the calf muscles to recover from training sessions and races more quickly, reducing stiffness and soreness and, in turn, preventing calf muscle injury.
Compression Socks Product Range