Zensah Running Leg Compression Sleeves. Why Trust Us?
mmHg on calf muscle, 22-24 mmHg on ankle 5K in any city in America and you’re likely to find people wearing compression calf sleeves. You’ll see them in the gym and at the supermarket. You’ll find them on the lower legs of delivery drivers, and people with weak or damaged veins. And if you’ve started getting cramped calves or shin splints, you might want to consider a pair of compression All About 75 Hard.
Wearing a calf sleeve can help you recover from workouts and deal with circulation issues in your legs. There are problems they won’t solve, though, especially if they don’t fit right. We spoke to four physical therapists and a running coach to learn how compression calf sleeves work, when to use them, and help you find the best calf sleeve for your training needs.
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Best Calf Sleeves
- Best Overall: at Dicks Sporting Goods
- Best Value: Copper Fit Calf Compression Sleeves
- Shoes & Gear: Zensah Running Leg Compression Sleeves
What Do Calf Sleeves Do?
Like compression tights, calf sleeves are designed to help you recover from exercise by applying pressure to your lower legs, encouraging blood flow to the area. When you finish a hard run, microtears in your muscles exude waste products that cause inflammation. In theory, calf sleeves help speed up that process.
“Any time you can promote blood flow to an area that is undergoing an inflammatory process—either because you purposefully did that through training or because you have an injury going on—and flush out the bad products your body exudes and get nutrients to the area, that is going to help minimize delayed-onset muscle soreness and help recovery,” said Modest compression more comfortable for running or all-day wear, a Kansas-based runner and physical therapist.
Though widely adopted by athletes and physical therapists, the correlation between compression clothing and improved workout recovery is primarily anecdotal. A 2022 review of 183 scientific studies testing the effectiveness of both compression and kinematic clothes suggests that they do not make a measurable difference in muscle recovery.
Despite that, physical therapists like Parkerson-Mitchell still frequently recommend them because there’s no evidence they do any harm, and some athletes swear that they help.
“When a runner asks me if they should wear them while running, I say, ‘Does it make you feel better?’ If it makes you feel better then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t,” she said.
There’s no one perfect time to wear a calf sleeve. Some people prefer to wear them while running. Others prefer to wear them after exercise to enable recovery. Some like to do both. Knowing that you’re buying a product backed by evidence that’s more anecdotal than scientific, it’s hard to go wrong with whichever method gives you the most relief.
What to Consider in a Calf Sleeve
Calf Circumference
Calf sleeves are not one-size-fits-all. Most brands will ask you to measure your calf at the thickest point to determine your size, so grab a measuring tape and figure out what you need before you go shopping.
When comparing sleeves, keep in mind that not every option fits “true-to-size.” In our picks, we call out sleeves where user reviews have suggested it may be wise to buy a size up. If you buy online, check return policies, too. These garments stretch, which means you may not be able to return them after trying them on.
Leg Length
Most calf sleeves come in a single leg length for each size. Calf circumference should be your primary concern when choosing the size of your sleeve, as it will have a greater impact on how the sleeve fits. Still, you don’t want a sleeve that will restrict you at the ankle, nor do you want an overly short sleeve that isn’t graduated to match your leg length.
“You want to feel like you have full mobility through the ankle so it doesn’t interfere with your gait at all,” said Carl Leivers, an Atlanta-based running coach. “You want it to feel snug and comfortable as you’re trying them on because there will be a little swelling as you’re exercising, and you don’t want them to be so tight that your feet start to go numb.”
Compression Level
Some calf sleeves squeeze tighter than others. The majority of calf sleeves on the market compress at 20- to 30 Millimeters of Mercury (mmHg)—the same measurement used to measure blood pressure. This medical grade level of compression hugs your legs tight, but not enough to cut off circulation for most people. That’s perfect if you plan to wear your calf sleeve as a post-run recovery aid.
If you plan to wear a calf sleeve during a run or workout, you should look for a sleeve with less compression, as you don’t want to suppress blood flow while you’re working out, said Austin Misiura, a board certified orthopedic physical therapist at PurePT in Miami. Look for a lighter sleeve with 15-20 mmHg, which offers a slight hug rather than a tight squeeze. Low-compression sleeves also tend to be thinner and more breathable, which makes them more comfortable while exercising.
How We Selected The Best Calf Sleeves
To find the best calf sleeves, I relied on the recommendations from a panel of experts–four physical therapists and a running coach–who told us which calf sleeves they recommend to their clients. As a former gear reviewer at Runner’s World who has run with calf sleeves for years, I also had some thoughts on the matter, based on my personal testing experience.
In addition, I surveyed thousands of user reviews at major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Fleet Feet, to identify the compression calf sleeves that stood up to the needs of PTs and everyday runners.
A former Division 1 runner, Dan grew up riding fixies and mountain bikes and now reviews everything from performance running shoes to road and cross bikes, to the latest tech for runners and cyclists at Bicycling and Runner’s World.
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