Uses for Compression Shirts
If you shop at a sports store or read sport and fitness magazines, chances are you've seen or read about compression shirts. A compression shirt is a form-fitting garment usually made of polypropylene or lycra and neoprene. Polypropylene is smooth and light and lycra is a stretchy material that makes a compression shirt tight but comfortable to wear at the same time. Although prevalent with athletes, there are many other uses for compression shirts.
Athletic Performance
Compression shirts can reduce muscle fatigue and enhance performance.
The best known use for a compression shirt involves sports and athletics. A compression shirt is worn to accommodate or enhance an athlete's performance because it can protect the muscles from injury, maintain body temperature and wick moisture away from the body. The light, breathable material allows air to circulate through the shirt so water and sweat evaporate quickly. The material is also strong enough to hold muscles in place for optimal protection.
Medical Purposes
Lymphedema is a condition that can affect a person's arms. It's caused by a blockage in the lymphatic system that prevents lymph fluid from draining. This leads to extreme and painful swelling as the fluid builds up. The only option is to control the problem. A compression shirt encourages the flow of the lymph fluid out of the affected limb and can prevent future swelling. Pregnancy is another condition where a compression shirt is useful. The tight material gently pulls at the back, which fixes posture and distributes the weight of the belly evenly between the shoulder blades.
Surgical Recovery
Gynecomastia is a condition that results in the excessive development of breast tissue in males and is seen in 40 percent of adolescent boys. Minor surgery can remove the excess tissue and a compression shirt is worn for up to two weeks afterward to reduce swelling and bruising and to aid in the recovery process. After liposuction surgery, it helps the abdomen adjust its size and improve form as a person recovers because it improves blood circulation.
Discretion
Gastric bypass surgery and Lap Band surgery are procedures that can cause an obese person to lose extreme amounts of weight. The weight is usually lost quickly and results in loose, excess skin that hangs from the stomach. A compression shirt hides the excess skin and keeps it from folding over the waistband of shorts and pants. It can help a woman fit into her regular clothes faster after giving birth by pushing in the lower abdomen and smoothing out side bulges. Compression shirts can also be worn to camouflage the chest deformity of gynecomastia and stabilize bouncing tissue if a man chooses not to undergo surgery.
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