Product Review: inVigorators Compression Socks

About a month ago @inVigorators sent me a message via Twitter asking if I would be interested in reviewing their product – the inVigorators Compression Socks.  I happily accepted the challenge, and was so excited to come home from a business trip in early October and to see my package from Fromm waiting for me.

I decided to review the inVigorators from three perspectives.  First, as someone training to run again.  Second, as someone who flies a lot for their job.  And third, as someone with a nerve disease.  I also decided to test inVigorators with the real deal medical compression TEDS socks which I also have.

inVigorators versus TEDS

For the purposes of comfort while walking, sitting on a plane, or even with your feet up in a non-hospital environment, inVigorators win the challenge with TEDS.  inVigorators are made of a nice elastic graduated compression which starts from around the ankle area extending up the calf.  There is no real compression around the toes, and the bottom of the foot area is nicely padded (like normal sock material).  TEDS have a hole by the toes, which means they are pretty uncomfortable and not well suited to exercise.  They also compress without discrimination – starting at the toes and going up the calf – and this makes them tough to put on. 

For style, inVigorators win.  They are all black and can easily be worn with trousers and do not look out of place.  TEDS are all white and they DO NOT WORK at all under trousers or jeans, unless of course you are wearing boots.  Also they are not meant for activity, and there is one compression strength. So fashion aside, they are not really practical for wearing to work.

And in terms of fabric, inVigorators win again.  They have a cotton sole which is really comfortable, and the elastic weave of the compression breathes well.  TEDS are made from elastic compression material which is like latex, and they just didn’t work for me.

First test:  Exercise and recovery

I am probably not the best placed to say if compression socks aid and improve performance – for that type of advice, I would suggest looking to a pro.  But as someone learning to run again, I can give you my thoughts with regard to how inVigorators felt during exercise and for recovery.

I wore the inVigorators on a run around my local fields (Weaver’s Fields, London).  I found them to be very comfortable.  They worked well with my ankle orthotics, preventing any irritation from the plastic-meeting-skin.  At the same time, they did not rub my feet while running, which was also good, as I am a huge believer in wearing “good socks”.

For the recovery test, I wore the inVigorators after a sports therapy session.  A lot of times post a hard sports massage / release session my muscles get very sore and often “twitch” (this is also a common occurrence in folks with nerve conditions – it can look like I have a heart beating inside my calf, or something crawling under my skin – freaky!).  The inVigorators seemed to minimise the ache, and also helped “control” the twitches.  So for my purposes, for both exercise and recovery, the inVigorators passed the test.

Me in Weaver’s Fields, post test 1, in ankle orthotics plus inVigorators.

Second test:  On an airplane

I travel extensively for work.  Sometimes I go on a long trip once a week.  There have even been weeks when I have done two long trips in one week!  In 2002 one of my work colleagues contracted deep vein thrombosis with one of his trips.  We were all encouraged at that time to buy and wear compression socks (flight socks) to help to prevent DVT.  I have purchased many types of flight socks through the years – some from M&S, some from Boots, some from high end makers, and sometimes I have worn my TEDS.  In general I hate flight socks. 

I flew with inVigorators on two of my recent trips – London to DC, and London to the Middle East.  They were extremely comfortable.  I did not feel like ripping them off mid flight.  And I was able to sleep in them.  inVigorators passed this test too.

Third test:  For folks with a nerve condition

I have read that people with nerve conditions often wear compression socks, similar to folks with diabetes or adema swelling in their legs.

I found when wearing the inVigorators in recovery that they helped my legs feel better.  I am not sure why people wear the socks for nerve disease – but if like me they wear them because of the the “twitching” (fasciculation) that happens, I can see why.  Although they do not stop the “twitching” they did make the sensations feel less noticeable. 

The inVigorators were also comfortable and fit well on my feet.  A lot of people with CMT lose sensation in their feet (and hands) – this means good fitting socks are key.  If you can’t feel a wrinkled sock, you could get a blister, and healing can also be slower in areas with atrophied muscles.  I had zero complaints on the fit and comfort front.

And finally, some people with CMT have difficulty with fine motor skills – such as buttons, snaps, and the like.  I found the socks to be easy to put on, unlike the hospital socks I had been given previously, which is a plus for people with fine motor skill deterioration.  I think inVigorators may meet some of the needs of folks with nerve conditions or other medical reasons for seeking compression socks.

In conclusion

I would recommend inVigorators for folks who fit into the three categories above: sport/exercise/recovery; travellers/flying; folks with medical conditions (such as my nerve condition CMT).  I think that outside of a hospital environment, they are easier to put on and more comfortable than hospital standard TEDS.  However, I still want to try other compression products, such as Zensah running tights / calf sleeves – now that I know compression helps me I want to try more than socks!

inVigorators can be purchased online.

Note: In adherence with new FTC blogging disclosure rules being introduced from 1 December 2009, I would like to note that inVigorators sent me their product free of charge, asking for a review in exchange.  If the product had sucked, I would tell you it sucked.  But it didn’t.  But in any case, it was given in exchange for a review.  And in all cases, the views I express are mine alone – please use your own judgement and common sense before rushing into any product purchase.