Soon after I started really getting into running and training for half-marathons, I learned about compression clothing. I knew that stockings and socks made of the extra-tight material were used in medical settings to treat fluid buildup and swelling. But after seeing a handful of fitness brands launch compression wear that promised to improve performance and recovery by simply wearing stylish tights that just so happened to be a little snugger than normal, I was intrigued. My legs hurt, and anything that could help was worth trying, right?

But I was also skeptical, because it's my job to question things as a health and fitness editor. Flash forward a couple years later, and I am now the proud owner of multiple pairs of compression pants and socks. (Full disclosure: Most of them have been gifted to me by the brands so I could try them out.) I wear them mostly after long runs when I'm training for races, especially in the winter when the change from outdoor cold to indoor heat makes my knees feel like they're blowing up like balloons. But recently I've started to wonder: Are these fancy pants really doing anything? And even better: Do I, or any of SELF's readers, need to be spending hard-earned cash on said fancy pants?

Compression clothing has been used for years to increase blood flow and reduce swelling.

That buildup and impending swelling I mentioned earlier is a condition called edema, and can be a side effect of everything from pregnancy to cancer treatment. People with this complication are often instructed by their doctors to wear compression stockings. Traditional compression garments—like stockings, socks, and sleeves—work by putting pressure on your limbs to prevent fluid (blood) from collecting in the tissue, according to the Mayo Clinic. They're usually graduated, meaning they're tightest at the ankle or wrist, and the level of compression gradually decreases as you move toward your torso. They work by essentially guiding blood toward the heart and increasing the speed and volume at which it flows.

When it comes to fitness, compression apparel is meant to help improve performance and recovery through similar methods.

“In athletics, the idea behind compression wear is to improve blood flow or oxygen delivery to muscles,” James Borchers, M.D., director of the division of sports medicine at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. The logic follows that improving these things will reduce the incidence of cramps, improve performance, and maximize recovery (by reducing muscle soreness, strength loss, and loss of range of motion after exercise). The problem is, the studies are minimal and there’s no real verdict on if they work the way they promise.

“Any study that has been done has involved really small numbers of people, like 10 individuals,” Reed Ferber, Ph.D., researcher at the University of Calgary and director of the Running Injury Clinic, tells SELF. “And then whatever findings one study comes out with, the next study shows the opposite.” This makes it hard to draw conclusions for a larger population of athletes.

Based on the available research, and good ol’ human testimony, experts say that compression wear seems to have recovery benefits, but special pants won’t make you a better athlete. “Most studies show that it’s not going to help with running performance. It’s not going to improve your time in a half-marathon, trail run, 5k, or even a sprint,” Ferber says. “The only real benefits that are shown is time of recovery is slightly improved.”

The reason why compression material works might actually be more psychological than physiological.

“The exact mechanism by which compression garments improve recovery is unclear at this time,” Nicholas M. Licameli, P.T., D.P.T., at Professional Physical Therapy, tells SELF. Since the physiological benefits are hard to prove, experts think that perhaps the bulk of the benefits are simply psychological.

Any perceived improvement in performance “probably has more to do with the perception of how you feel when performing rather than a true physiologic improvement in performance,” Borchers says. When your perceived exertion is lower, “you can run longer without getting fatigued,” says Ferber.

And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, so much of working out (and running, especially) is mental, so anything that makes it feel easier makes a difference. “There’s clearly a psychological benefit that when people wear [compression garments] they feel better, they feel like they recover quicker, and we know that effect in and of itself can improve recovery,” Borchers says.

Whether the mechanics are physiological or psychological, Licameli says that compression wear can be a helpful part of the recovery puzzle. “As part of an overall recovery strategy, wearing a compression garment over the affected area for 12 to 24 hours in the one to two days following exercise seems to be most effective,” he says. Though some brands sell different "grades" of compression (usually marketed to wear during a workout vs after), studies have yet to show if one level of compression is more beneficial than another.

In the end, you won’t know if compression wear works for you unless you try it.

“It’s worth wearing them,” says Borchers. “If someone wears it and they feel better and feel that they perform better, whether or not they are, there’s a benefit to that.” If you try it and it does nothing for you, there’s no need to keep wearing it.

Some people actually experience negative effects with compression garments, Ferber says. Restricted blood flow can result in numbness or muscle cramping for some. If that’s you, again, you can ditch it.

It really comes down to trial and error. “I’ve been treating patients for 20 years and I’ve seen enough runners who have shin splints or calf pain that have been resolved largely because they wear compression socks now. But I can name another five for every one of those that say their calves cramp with compression wear and they can’t stand wearing it. And another three will say it doesn’t have an effect,” Ferber says.

It’s also important to note that no recovery technique will be effective on its own. “Getting your zzz’s and eating properly to fuel and refuel your body are most important,” Licameli says.

If you’re interested in giving compression clothing a try, here are some of my favorites:

Courtesy of Nike

Nike’s Zonal Strength Training Tights ($150, are insanely comfortable—even when you're getting low in a squat or lunge. They’re also high-waisted and really flattering, so if nothing else, my self-esteem definitely improves when I have them on.

Courtesy of Athleta

Athleta Sculptek Stealth Capri ($89, is another favorite. The material is thick and the waistband is mid-rise, so I feel really locked in when I run in them.

Courtesy of Lily Trotters

I’m really into wearing compression socks after training runs. Lily Trotters ($48, and Vim & Vigr ($33–$35, both sell socks in different heights and in fun patterns and colors.

Courtesy of Skins

Skins RY400 Compression Long Tights ($140, are a great option to slip into after a workout. I have an older pair of Skins tights that I wear after long runs, and I even sleep in them sometimes. When you find a pair of pants (compression or not) that are perfectly snug and stretchy, hold onto those babies forever.