20 Best Shin Splint Compression Sleeve (2023 Updated)

A couple years ago we started on an adventure to start running. We began with the C25k (Couch to 5K) app on our phones and it worked really really well. the only problem is that about 4 or 6 weeks in, my shins started to hurt really badly.

At first it was a dull ache during/directly after running, but I thought I was just being a wimp. It turns out this was the start of some shin splints, and I needed to act. It wasn’t until I started googling when my shins hurt so badly it was painful when walking that I found this out – shin splints are no joke!After reading multiple things, one of the best suggestions was 1- stop running for a while, and walking wasn’t a good idea either & 2- when you start back up, compression stockings are your friend 3- you most likely have junky shoes (yes even if you spent lots of money on them) OR they’re just not right for your gait.

I purchased a pair of similar compression stockings and they worked really well. This was ~3 years ago, and we’ve run on and off ever since. This year our Boston marathon qualifying race is having its 10th year anniversary for the half marathon.

When we were nearing the end of our 5K training, I specifically verbalized, “I’d do a half. there’s no way I’ll do a full. ” The prices were historically outrageous, though, so I thought I was safe. I was wrong.

Because it’s a big anniversary for the race, they discounted the bibs considerably, so here I am training again. Annnd here comes the shin splints again!I hadn’t worn the stockings in years at this point, so they were long ago misplaced.

I purchased these after 2-4 weeks of training, and they’re like heaven. We’re at 10 miles at this point, soon to be 11, and I have ZERO shin pain and it’s wonderful. I took one star off because while these are holding up moderately OK in terms of compression, after a couple uses of ~3 or 4 miles I started noticing loose threads around the top/bottom seams.

They still function, but I doubt these will last more than a season or two, which is disappointing. I don’t wash these every time, but they have handled gentle cycles when they started smelling/feeling grimey.

This said, it looks as though they give a lifetime warranty, so if they keep up their end of the bargain, this star will definitely be given back.

So I ran my first half marathon this past Sunday, and I bought these calf compression sleeves because of the great reviews. I purchased a medium, based off of the measurement chart and reviews. My calves are a little over 14 inches and the fit was perfect, wasn’t too tight and wasn’t loose at all, they stayed perfectly in place the entire race.

I usually run only 5K’s and would get shin splints and cramps in my right calf during the run. So running this long distance, I wanted to find ways to reduce pain, and getting these definitely helped 100% with the pain I would usually get in my calves.

So during the half marathon, I noticed that I did not get shin splints what so ever, AND my calf did not cramp up. I did have to stop for a few seconds to stretch my calves because I felt a little cramp coming on but it was the very upper part of my calf where the sleeve was not covering.

But I was fine, no cramps at all, unlike the times when I ran 5K’s without a compression sleeve. As I am sitting here still recovering from the run, everything else is really sore, like my thighs, buttocks, upper back, obliques, etc, my calves are a tiny bit sore, but nowhere near the soreness as the rest of my body.

It worked so well, that this is going to become a part of the items that I can’t forget to bring whenever I am doing a 5K and another half marathon! And I’m going to purchase some as gifts for my Mom, sister and a friend.

So I completely recommend these to anyone who is a runner, or has any problems with cramping, calf pain and what not. I am so thankful for these, and you will be too!.

I have huge calves for my build, in which whenever I go walking at a quick-pace, my calves tighten up like CRAZY, to the point I feel like the sheath of my calves is going to tear open, leaving my calf muscles exposed.

But, with these compression sleeves, OH MY GOD, I don’t even need to stretch when going out in the city or out in nature for a hike (not that stretching would hurt or anything). I wish I had these back in highschool when I did soccer and volleyball!On 6+mile hikes, my legs can get tired and feel weak, but luckily I had packed the sleeves in my backpack, and when I put them on, my legs no longer felt weak when standing or walking, I was able to hike A LOT more with these sleeves to aid me! Even on hot days, whether I am out and about, these sleeves are very breathable, letting air flow to my legs to keep them cool and prevent sweat from developing for a bit.

I love them so much, that I told a relative about them and I soon bought a pair for them and they really love them! I have put these sleeves through a good amount, physically and aesthetically with a lot of dirt and stretching when on my hikes.

Cleaning and drying them just like regular laundry, detergent and what not. I am VERY happy I have these, my constant calf cramping-issue has been resolved (;This sleeve is good for anyone who experiences cramps anywhere between the knee and the ankle (front and back), but also good for anyone who would like to be able to run, hike, jump or walk more.

This item is true to size, so use the sizing-chart featured in the other images of this product. So to sum it all up, these sleeves are made of great durable material, very breathable, comfortable, easy to wash, and a great value for the benefits that come with wearing them!!!.

The Copper Calf Compression was recommended by my physician because, first and foremost, I am getting older; unfortunately, there is no stopping the aging process. Secondly, the veins in my calves have suffered through many years of sport skydiving and when deploying your parachute nearly 2,000 times, the opening shock, or rapid deceleration from 120mph to a vertical speed of approximately 17 feet per second in less than one second produces extreme pressure on your legs, calves, feet and all the veins within.

When your body goes through “parachute opening shock” there is a rapid deceleration from a 120MPH (Terminal Velocity) down to approximately 17 feet per second in less than one second. The rapid deceleration is such a wonderful feeling and experience, but on the flip-side the G-Forces are extreme hitting an estimated force from 3 to 6 G’s during rapid deceleration consisting of a time period that is less than one second.

There are “hard openings” and what is a typical “normal” opening. Over time, these forces have taken its’ toll. The blood rushing to my lower extremities have produced large and protruding veins and I knew I needed help from the medical community.

I have had two vein stripping surgeries, but unfortunately the veins do return. Now I wear the Copper Compression over my calves all the time even when I am in bed they are being worn. The benefit has been immediate as the compression is reducing the vein swelling and discomfort.

I noticed a change within one day; literally. I am sold on the Copper Compression Calf “sleeves. ” There is no slipping down with my having to continually pull them back up into place and much easier to put on vs.

the type covering the foot and calf. I am speaking from experience. The Copper Compression designed for the calf down to my ankles are wonderful and extremely beneficial. The customer service is outstanding.

Even when I made a size purchase error because my measurements were off, Copper Compression Customer Service replaced the wrong fit with two new correctly sized Compression Calves before I had an opportunity to return the incorrect size.

There is something to be said about Made in the USA and USA Post Sales Support. I wish to thank all involved and you know who you are. Thank You, Eric.

Excellent support, they have made a huge difference how my legs feel!! It really helps with my upper calf varicose veins. I had tried another brand and they were rough material and my veins ached by the end of the day.

Copper compression has superior, soft material that provides excellent compression. I will be ordering more and have told friends and family about them, thank you!!.

I’ve had a prior calf muscle injury which created issues with scar tissue. On occasion, I have done something that strains the calf which has weakened. When that happens, it hurts to walk. I bought one of these calf sleeves over a year ago and have used it whenever I have pain.

Wow! I always get complete relief in a day or so! I’m impressed!.

Because of poor circulation, I often get wounds on my legs. I have to go to wound therapy and get treated and warped. I itch from the wrappings and get terrible leg cramps. The Wound care doctor said I must wear 30 mg compression stockings.

I can’t get them on without causing new wounds and they itch terribly. The doctor recommended a wrap compression legging. I looked them up on the Internet and the cheapest was 78. 50 each one. You also had to buy additional Cotton tubes and compression anklets.

My wife found your product on line. She told me to give it a try since my leg was too swollen to measure for the other product. I went back to the wound clinic after on week of wearing your product. My wound had healed and there was no swelling.

WOW!! I now wear them every day. I would love it if you made them in flesh color. This is my only suggestion.

Good price, received in a timely manner, Vive checked in with me to ensure my satisfaction but most of all extremely comfortable. I am bowl legged and get shin splints that easily turn into stress fractures.

All the previous braces ive had in the past eventually begin to hurt my leg. Not only does this brace fit perfectly it doesn’t hurt and is the best brace ive has so far!!!.

Completely and totally saved my life during my long shifts at work. I’m standing sometimes 12 hours+ it was getting excruciating. until I bought this brace and now I feel like I can run a marathon. I actually bought one for my problem leg and ended up loving it so much I gave it to my wife and bought myself 2 more.

It’s super lightweight, easy to put on and adjust, I love that I can put it on under my pants/skirts or even over leggings if I need to. It gets a little sweaty but if that’s the worst thing that happens after 12 hours of comfort I’m definitely not complaining.

Thank you Vive!!! I’m a life long customer now <3.

I will be returning them as soon as I get to P. O. I tried everything to make them work, including watching videos, and the ankle area is just too tight and I hurt my hands and neck just trying to get them on.

The concept is excellent; the execution not so much. Very disappointed. Considering the cost and also having to pay shipping, I am also disappointed that I have to pay and insure them to return them.

Dearest Zensah, where were you twenty years ago at the peak of my professional NBA dance career!? Your products are gold and truly a god send. I have old dance injuries and my knees are shot. I work in a hospital and am on my feet practically 8 hours straight and right after the hospital shift, I go to job number two which is valet at the same hospital (I gotta make rent) so you can imagine the impact on my knees and shins.

The knee braces are seriously miricals and I can run like a pro for the valet shift. After trying the compression leg sleeves, my ankles and shins recover quicker and I don’t even need Motrin! I’m also not limping the next word day.

Thank you for creating your products and I am a loyal for life customer! I run into a lot of people at work with visitors and employees and the hot pink color of my knee braces get the compliments and when I tell them how awesome the support is, I’m writing down your web site for them to try your products and see for themselves.

Can’t wait for the compression leg sleeves to come out in different colors and patterns! MAHALO AND ALOHA ZENSAH.

I wore the compression ankle/calf sleeves for many months after a traumatic ankle injury to help deal with post-operative swelling. This is medical grade compression and at the time I was dealing with a lot of swelling (think cankles) and working on my feet for 12 to 24hr shifts.

This compression sleeve was amazing at dealing with an incredible amount of swelling. I am super impressed. I love the way the compression is not just in the calf muscles but also down through the foot.

Traditional athletic compression socks really lack compression going down into the foot so this was a huge plus. They are also very comfortable. Made of a nice thin material so I wouldn’t get too hot.

I am looking forward to being fully recovered so I can try these out running and biking. Hoping they help with normal athletic recovery as well as they did for my injury.

Cannot rate this highly enough. I have used the same pair of lime green sleeves for 7 years and they still work as perfectly as the first time. While I am not a runner, I get shin splints often enough to use these nearly once a week.

They relieve aches immediately after putting them on. Recently, they have gotten even more use while recovering from a knee injury to help clear drainage. They compress the same while wearing them 3-5 times between washes, show no wear and tear (7 years!!), show the same vibrant color after all this time, and work whether wearing them for an hour or overnight.

I could wear them 3 days straight and not have them become uncomfortable. I have recommended these to friends, family, strangers on social media, and my physical therapist. Truly excellent design that works every time at an amazing price point.

I am training for the 3 Day walk to end breast cancer. Clocking over 300 training miles I ran into some exercise induced vasculitis. While not painful it is unsightly. So my legs needed a little help to get that blood circulating.

These work great. I got crazy pink colors of course. The images on the sight were accurate for the colors. I have used these sleeves in the past during my triathlon days as well as mountain biking. Great product!!.

I am a 17 year old tennis player and I suffer from shin splints after running track for some time in elementary school and middle school. Zensah’s product works it was very comfortable and I had no pain when running on court and no pain when I was doing I was able to move however way I wanted.

The only negative about this product I would have to to say it’s durability after being put in a washer and dryer the material would easily rip when it’s tried to be put on the calf. Other than that the product was great and I am looking forward to buying so many more products and maybe even a sponsorship.

Keep it up zensah!!!.

After 2 days all day use the tops have lost their shape a little and you have to pull them up a few times a day. Otherwise they are not heavy thick material with huge compression like the medical ones.

They are lightweight and breathable with thin material. You get some all around compression that you can definitely feel and I can wear my normal socks over top all day without problems of overheating.

It needs just a little more hugging tightness for this to be totally effective as a compression sleeve for calves. It is well made and thicker than the other brands. I suspect this will hold up for a while as I’ve washed it and it washes beautifully without fading nor losing its elasticity!.

I bought these for post/op compression wear but they are so comfortable and helpful that I wear them every day! I highly recommend them and will be purchasing more pairs.

One of the best braces I’ve purchased & used! I highly recommend this brand & model for fit & comfort! I will be buying more of these in the near future!

Excellent fit very adjustable and gives great support of the calf. Had torn calf and wear it now playing Pickleball after 6 week recovery and you would never know that you ever had an injury

This is very very good, loved it, works amazingly, would definitely buy again, worth the money, recommend it

I have several pairs of these in several colors. What is not abundantly evident on the website is that the fabric composition varies, something I found out accidentally. My favorites are heather grey and heather mint, the only two (to my knowledge) that are composed of 49% Polyester/41% Nylon/10% Spandex.

All the rest are 90% Nylon / 10% Spandex. For whatever reason, the addition of the Polyester makes them (for me) more comfortable and easier to put on and off.

BLITZU compression socks! Purple/Pink 💜💗! These are great. Unfortunately, I have to wear for medical reasons but other people do and if you should be wearing them- I recommend you start. These are sleeve compression which I love! I didn’t want a full sock, so hoping these work.

I haven’t been wearing a really long time, so I will update my review in a month or so….

I received the shin sleeves several weeks ago and have used them on several mountain bike rides and am pleased so far. I bought them specifically to protect my shins from occasional flat pedal pin injuries and not really for the benefits of compression.

The sleeves are very comfortable to the point that I forget I’m wearing them during the ride and they feel very good. The gel pads probably weren’t designed to protect from this type of injury and will likely rip open when contacted by the pedal pins but that’s ok with me.

I consider the pads sacrificial and I think I can repair with a patch with Tenacious Tape if that happens. It will be interesting to see how long they last as that will depend on how much I ride. I’m happy with my purchase so far and appreciate you developing this product!.

Man, they look small… that was the first thing I thought. XL and they look small enough for my forearm, but they stretch right into place. And they really help, especially for BMX racing. Besides the obvious shin protection, the compression really helps on those gate practice days.

Usually after a gate session my calf is super sore, but the added support on my old legs really makes a difference. Another great product from a great company.

Being the old guy shopper I am, I did some review comparisons. With the new buyer discount, it averaged to about same as high-end shin sleeves. I took the dive and couldn’t happier. These cleared up my sciatica med-free while in use.

They do not slide down and feel super secure over multiple activities. You do get what you pay for and I wouldn’t hesitate recommending these for sciatica sufferers and the shin splints folks.

These leg compression sleeves are solid, well-constructed, and absolutely perfect … for someone else. They simply didn’t work for me, thus the relatively low star rating, which reflects their usefulness to me.

My legs are unhealthily thin. Although I bought the small size, they simply wouldn’t stay up. They were down around my ankles after running just about twenty feet. Unless there’s a Zensah Sport G-String accessory out there and available, I’ll likely just declare this to have been a good idea worth trying and toss them in the trash.

A great product, but it did not work for me.

My experience with the full leg compression sleeve was positive. Initially, I didn’t think that they were going to be big enough/long enough. However, I got them on easier than putting on a compression sock.

They stayed up through my jog and made my legs feel supported. (Note: I have a joint disorder and the leg sleeves made me legs feel stronger/more free. ).

Bought this as my mother cannot bend down to put it on and her husband has a problem with his hands. This model was the perfect solution as it is easily attached. Thank you and good luck!

This product was perfect for my husband who ripped his calf muscle. Really hard product to find and glad it had adjustable straps.

Looks great with good support. Only downside is its very hot to wear when running in a football game.

This was a great choice I work out everyday , and this keeps my calfs warm and ready to go.

Products are satisfactory. Thx.

It’s a little too snugg. I didn’t see a size on this before I brought it.

I have ordered several Zensah calf sleeves in the past. Medium size alway fit fine. My most recent order was for another pair of light weight sleeves. This time the sleeves are so small they are hard to get on and almost impossible to get off.

Customer service asked for photos showing this pair and one of the previous sets… obvious big discrepancy in the pics, but they insisted that the old ones must have stretched out. I think there is a quality control issue.

I have two pairs of the original leg sleeves in a size medium and really like them. Decided to try the featherweight also in a size medium. The material and amount of compression is great, but my only complaint is that the bottom of the sleeve is not very stretchable and it takes quite a bit of effort to put them on and take them off.

I’m afraid that I may tear the material because of this. Overall great product with the exception of the aforementioned.

I wear them upon rising for the day as it helps my arthritic feet get moving upon first steps on the floor. I wear them road cycling as they support my calf muscles well. Although my measurement is small, I ordered M because of others reviews and I’m glad I did.

I like how the right, left and front labels are imprinted on the inside of each leg sleeve.

These are great. I’ve tried many and these are my favorites by far! I’ve had calf strain issues in the past and have been relatively injury free lately, but of course that can’t last! Tweaked my right calf and then kept training until it really got my attention.

I’d lost my old sleeves so thought I’d give these a shot. Within 24 hrs. (plus a vibrating roller) there was enough relief to know I didn’t seriously injure myself, prob 50% better in a day!! With sleeves I’ve used in the past sometimes the sizing isn’t quite right where I measure bigger, but the recommended size doesn’t offer enough support?! Or some you can’t wear that long because they squeeze like a sausage casing.

Some are too scratchy, some are too hot. But these OS1st are just right. I don’t really notice I’m wearing them and kinda nice you can tell what is the back from front. And these are the 1st I’ve seen that actually offer a “Zone” for the Achilles.

Def get ’em you’ll be happy!!.

This is ok so long as you don’t stand on it by mistake, seems to be made from the same material as those plastic slacker crates so it’s a bit fragile as I found out, does he job ok apart from that though.

I find one on the market ages ago and it ended up broken (due to my clumsiness!) It took me ages to find another one and this lot of 2 was good value and gave me a spare one!

Best compression socks ever! I am a Challenged Athlete, and need leg compression during run/bike events. My original purchase was of the Mudgear high top socks, which worked fine for running when wearing Hokas, but the material is too thick in the foot section for the SIDI road shoes I use with my adaptive race trike.

And the arch support on the high top socks was a bit too tight on my weak side foot (because of the disability, not the fault of the sock). I reached out to MudGear and tried the calf compression sleeve for use with some quality road cycling specific 2″ and 4″ cuff compression socks: Problem solved – my PTs and cardioplogy team were also impressed with the product! So I will save the high top mudgear socks for training runs, and will use the MudGear calf sleeves and cycling compression socks for training rides and Ironman 70.

3 events. Only regret is I should have ordered orange for more visibility on the recumbent race trike, but can solve that when I order another pair of both socks and calf sleeves!.

Fantastic compression that’s also easy to take off and pairs well with your favorite socks. I have mud gear compression socks which are nice but are very hard to get off and I prefer running in toe socks which help me with toe blisters.

When running mountain OCR races I want both the toe socks and compression and these sleeves are the answer! Love them. Great fit and great quality. Excited to try them out at the Spartan NJ ultra.

I use compression all the time. I have a history of blood clots, and I work on my feet at a very busy Emergency Department, where it’s very common for me to do 22,000 steps in a day seeing patients. My vascular surgeon told me after my massive DVT resolved the easiest way to avoid them in the future is to ALWAYS wear compression, so I do.

I had originally only used socks, but three of the pairs I have been using for a year shrunk so badly, it was messing up my feet. So I tried Mudgear compression sleeves, which I have to say, are the best idea I’ve had.

I have used other companies compression, but the Mudgear product is by far the most comfortable, and I actually feel better at the end of the day having spent 12 hours with my legs going on my feet. That’s the big difference to me.

Other companies compression product performs ok, but they don’t make my legs feel continuously energized, especially at the end of the day. If the Mudgear compression helps me prevent new DVT, and makes my legs feel great throughout the day and beyond, especially after walking 10 miles in an average work day, I would be more than happy to recommend them to anyone.

I can’t wait to see how the perform while I run, work out, or bike.

I’ve worn graduated compression stockings for years, for DVT, so I’m very familiar with how helpful and necessary these types of stockings are. I decided to try these calf sleeves to see whether they would work for me, as a quick on-off stocking, going to and from the pool this summer.

While I don’t wear them in the water, they are very easy to remove, as they don’t cover my feet. The fabric is strong enough to give me the compression I need and the white coIor I chose is good for summer.

I would buy them in a stronger compression if that was available. I’m very satisfied with them.

I bought 2 of the 20-30 mmHg sleeves and they aren’t made very well. The top stitching came apart on one sleeve after washing it once. The second box of sleeves was really tight. A lot more tighter than the first box.

I can’t even wear them at all. It cuts into my legs at both ends. And the stitching on one of the tight sleeves started to come apart when I put it on. I like them a whole lot more than the socks but not if they are going to fall apart the first time you put them on.

After laundering a couple of times, he found that that the band lost some elasticity and the stocking slips. I never put them in the dryer. All support stocking are hung to dry. We found some in the brand he uses daily that are footless and are much less expensive and they are holding up much better.

He needs these on a daily basis and the footless was a nice change. Just a heads up from a daily user.

There was a contradiction between the size chart on 2XU’s website and the one on the package. My calf size is 15in, which means size S on 2XU’s website but size M on the package. (Based on the website info, I ordered S).

I contacted 2XU and asked which size chart I should rely on. The answer : if the package is intact and the item has not been worn, I have the option to return it for eirher exchange or refund; they sent a 25% voucher applicable on my next purchase; and I ‘’may be in between sizes’’ I decided that, since I am in between sizes, the smaller size would do a better job and I opened the package.

Big mistake. The size chart on the package was right. My new calf sleeves are too small. This is my second pair of calf sleeves from 2XU, and with the first pair, i did not have this issue. Apart the misleading information on their website, the quality of the product is excellent.

I recently bought two items. The quality of the compression support has significantly deteriorated from when I first purchased two black pairs 3 yrs ago. The support does t stay up very well and I have to keep pulling it up my leg every 1/2 hr.

The fabric seems too thin and quickly over stretches itself. I have fairly large calves but the earlier variety in black stayed up for easily 4hrs with out any adjustment.

Brought these to help with recovery from a calf muscle tear 10 weeks ago. Good amount of compression, help keep the muscles warm and is comfortable to wear. Did measure my calf to get correct size of medium and was perfect going off size chart.

Just started running again so glad to have brought.

This product may actually be 5 star as I’m comparing it to other CEP compression products that were more durable. When I ordered these calf sleeves, I didn’t realize that they would be thinner in the material and also more fragile.

Not fragile like china but compared to regular compression socks, you’d need to treat them more gentle when pulling them on as to ensure they don’t tear. My first experience with them was during a 70.

3 half ironman race during transition 2, bike to run. Anyone familiar with triathlon knows transitions are hectic times where you try to be smooth but speedy. Well, I tried to slip on the sleeves with a little man-handling and I put a small tear in one.

I didn’t think at the time that I should be more gentle. So, the tear is the only reason I dropped the rating to a 4 star. As for performance, they are a sure 5-star. Perfect fit, not overly compressed but with a gentle snug feel that actually felt invigorating during the run.

I’ve been healing a calf strain and with the compression sleeves I was 100% good to go on the run, no pain or flare up. I’ve been running in compression socks for years and I think I like the feel of these ultralight sleeves better than any other model.

By the way, regarding the tear. CEP replaced them ASAP without charge. Now, that is customer service! At the same time, I must now do my part and just handle them with a little TLC and they should last for a long time.

Thanks CEP!.

Very disappointed in the product. I was recommended CEP by other runners so I figured I’d pay up for $40 compression sleeves instead of the $10 Amazon ones I’ve been using. I noticed the hem coming out after 2 washes, on the 5th wash, the whole right sleeve is a literally falling apart.

I had to go back to my cheap Amazon sleeves which are much more durable.

I purchased these because I have some Achilles tendon issues. Tried them today for the first time. Felt a difference as soon as I put them on. Ran on my treadmill for an hour with very little discomfort.

Removing the sleeves was really difficult, but so worth that minor annoyance.

I bought S/M calf sleeves which were the right length, but are extremely tight at my ankles and below my knees. They left really deep imprints on my skin. I hope the tightness will relax after a few wears and washes.

This sleeve is very good quality, material and color. My only problem with it is that it is too tall for my calf (I’m 5’2″). I was hoping it would “squash” together to accommodate my shorter leg, but I have to fold it over, which creates stress on that area.

These are so cute and fit so well! I will definitely buy more! Also they were shipped so fast!