Running Gear: Apparel, Braces, Taping, and Topicals for Legs

What Do Runners Put On Their Legs?

Runners utilize a variety of specialized apparel, supportive devices, and topical applications on their legs to enhance performance, prevent injuries, aid recovery, and ensure comfort during training and races.

Compression Apparel: Enhancing Performance and Recovery

Compression garments are a cornerstone of a runner's leg arsenal, designed to apply graduated pressure to specific muscle groups. This pressure is intended to improve blood circulation, reduce muscle oscillation, and enhance proprioception.

• Compression Socks and Calf Sleeves: These are perhaps the most common compression items.
  • Purpose: They exert pressure on the lower leg muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus), aiming to increase venous return, reduce swelling, and minimize muscle vibration during impact. This can potentially lead to reduced muscle fatigue, quicker recovery, and a lower risk of conditions like shin splints.
  • Application: Worn during runs to enhance performance and reduce post-run soreness, or post-run for accelerated recovery.
• Compression Tights and Shorts: Extending the benefits of compression to the thighs and glutes.
  • Purpose: Provide support to the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. Similar to calf compression, they aim to improve blood flow, reduce muscle oscillation, and support muscle alignment, potentially reducing muscle damage and soreness, particularly during long-distance or high-intensity efforts.
  • Application: Often worn as a base layer for performance, warmth, or recovery.

Supportive Braces and Taping: Injury Prevention and Management

For runners managing existing injuries or seeking to prevent common ailments, various braces and taping methods offer targeted support.

• Knee Braces and Straps: Designed to provide stability and alleviate pain around the knee joint.
  • Purpose: Patellar straps (e.g., Cho-Pat straps) are often used to address patellar tendonitis (runner's knee) by applying pressure to the patellar tendon, altering the angle of pull and reducing stress. More comprehensive knee braces offer general stability for ligamentous issues or osteoarthritis.
  • Application: Worn during runs to provide immediate support and pain relief.
• Shin Splint Sleeves and Straps: Specifically targets discomfort along the shins.
  • Purpose: These devices aim to compress the muscles around the tibia, reducing muscle vibration and supporting the periosteum (the membrane covering the bone). This can help alleviate the pain associated with medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints).
  • Application: Used during runs to manage symptoms and potentially prevent recurrence.
• Kinesiology Tape (KT Tape): A flexible, elastic athletic tape applied to the skin.
  • Purpose: Unlike rigid athletic tape, KT tape allows for full range of motion. It is believed to lift the skin, creating a small space between the muscle and dermis, which can improve circulation, reduce pressure on pain receptors, and support lymphatic drainage. It can also provide proprioceptive feedback, encouraging better movement patterns.
  • Application: Applied to specific muscles or joints (e.g., quads, hamstrings, calves, shins, around the knee) to provide support, reduce swelling, or alleviate pain without restricting movement.
• Athletic Tape: A non-elastic, rigid tape primarily used for joint immobilization or stabilization.
  • Purpose: While less common for general leg use than KT tape due to its restrictive nature, it can be used for specific short-term stabilization of ankle or knee joints following sprains, or to compress certain areas.
  • Application: Used for acute injury management where motion restriction is desired.

Protective and Comfort-Enhancing Topicals

Beyond apparel and support, runners apply various creams and balms directly to their skin for protection, comfort, and muscle care.

• Anti-Chafing Balms and Creams: Essential for preventing skin irritation.
  • Purpose: These products create a protective barrier on the skin, reducing friction between skin folds (e.g., inner thighs) or between skin and fabric (e.g., shorts seams), thereby preventing painful chafing, blisters, and rashes.
  • Application: Applied directly to areas prone to friction before a run, especially long runs or in hot, humid conditions.
• Sunscreen: Crucial for skin health during outdoor activities.
  • Purpose: Protects the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, preventing sunburn, premature aging, and reducing the risk of skin cancer. Legs, especially the front of the thighs and shins, are highly exposed during running.
  • Application: Applied generously to all exposed skin on the legs before outdoor runs, and reapplied as needed based on duration and intensity of sun exposure.
• Muscle Rubs and Pain Relief Gels: Topical solutions for post-run muscle care.
  • Purpose: These products often contain ingredients like menthol, camphor, or capsaicin that create a warming or cooling sensation, which can temporarily alleviate muscle soreness, aches, and minor pains. They work by distracting pain receptors and potentially increasing local blood flow.
  • Application: Massaged into tired or sore leg muscles after a run or workout to aid recovery and provide symptomatic relief.
• Insect Repellent: For protection against bites during trail runs or in bug-prone areas.
  • Purpose: Deters mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects, preventing uncomfortable bites and reducing the risk of insect-borne diseases.
  • Application: Sprayed or rubbed onto exposed skin on the legs before running in areas where insects are prevalent.

Specialized Socks and Legwear: Beyond Compression

While compression is a key category, other forms of socks and legwear serve distinct purposes for runners.

• Moisture-Wicking and Blister-Prevention Socks: Crucial for foot health and comfort.
  • Purpose: Made from synthetic blends (e.g., polyester, nylon, acrylic) or merino wool, these socks pull moisture away from the skin, keeping feet dry. Many feature anatomical designs, seamless toes, and targeted cushioning to reduce friction points and prevent blisters. While on the feet, their impact extends to overall leg comfort and performance.
  • Application: Worn inside running shoes to manage moisture, prevent blisters, and provide cushioning.
• Running Tights and Pants (Non-Compression): For warmth, protection, and modesty.
  • Purpose: These garments provide insulation in cold weather, protect against abrasions on trails, and offer sun protection. They come in various thicknesses and materials to suit different weather conditions, often featuring reflective elements for visibility and pockets for essentials.
  • Application: Worn as an outer layer for warmth, weather protection, or general comfort during runs.