But for workout and athletic recovery, the increased blood flow from compression therapy can help relieve delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and tightness. You’ll also commonly hear of folks wearing compression socks while on a long-haul flight to keep their legs from swelling.

According to Brannigan, garments like compression sleeves or pneumatic compression devices like compression boots squeeze the muscles to promote increased blood flow to a targeted area (in this case, the legs).Ĭompression therapy is used in some medical settings to reduce the risk of blood clots and venous pooling in long-term hospital patients. Think about it like this: A tight hug from a loved one is therapeutic, right? Compression therapy is a similar idea. We spoke with Winnie Yu, PT, DPT, CPT, physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in New York City, and Jeff Brannigan, program director at Stretch*d, a New York City–based workout recovery studio, to learn all about how pneumatic (or air) compression systems can lead to a faster recovery time. If you haven’t heard of compression boots-or compression therapy at all-they might just be a game changer when it comes to leveling up your rest days. After a competition or intense workout, recovery is key.

Pneumatic leg compression