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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
 Helpfull and durable Jul 06, 2009
By Eddie A. Orduno
"djavalanche"
these do help ease the pain, since i get shin splints alot. im so happy i got these, ima buy 2 more, so i can have some while the others are being cleaned, also the seller does fairly fast shipping, not like other sellers on amazon that tend to wait a week before they ship. Even though my calfs are 17" the 15.5" still stretched well to my legs
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Excellent calf brace at a bargain price Nov 24, 2010
By Kate McMurry
"Young Adult Author"
I bought this product because I get shin splints (sore muscles along the shin at the front of the calves) from lots of standing and walking. I had already owned some compression calf braces that I purchased from a different source that I was fairly satisfied with as to how well they worked, but they cost [...] each and came in only one color, off-white. I was really pleased with how much more bang I got for my bucks with these Alpha Medical (AM) braces. The moment I slipped them on, it was like going from a cheap car to a luxury model, in spite of the fact that these AM braces cost only 60% as much as the others I own (and seem to be the lowest-priced braces of this type sold on Amazon). The AM braces are a lot thicker than what I own, meaning they provide more heat to keep muscles from tensing. The fabric is also softer--and latex free--and lacks the heavy ridges of my other brand which make the skin of my calves have corrugated imprints by the end of the day. The fabric is also breathable, so it doesn't make me sweat, which can lead to skin irritation. This brand also comes in two choices of color, black or khaki tan, instead of only white. They are stretchy, which makes them easy to slip on, and they have no seams, which could chafe the skin.
According to the company's information, I was right on the cusp between two sizes, and I ordered the larger of the two because I personally don't like the compression to be terribly tight. I found that going with the larger size was a good decision for me--it's very comfortable, but I can still feel a useful amount of compression. Their sizes are Small (11-12-inch calves), Medium (11.5-13.25" calves), Large (13.25-14.25" calves), X-Large (14.25-15.5" calves). If you have calves bigger than 15.5 inches, this particular type of calf brace doesn't have a size to fit you.
The name of the company is Alpha Medical L.L.C. They are at 303 Church Street, Rock Hill, SC 29730, and their website is "alphabrace," not "alphamedical," as you might expect. This product ships directly from them, not Amazon, but they shipped super fast. I actually got my order from them before I got an order placed with Amazon on the same day.
The care instructions on the compression braces are as follows: Hand wash them with mild soap, and do not put them in the dryer or iron them. I wash mine in the bathroom, squeezing liquid hand soap into a sink full of warm water. After rinsing, I hang them up in the shower. It takes about 24 hours for them to dry completely, so I bought six of these braces in order to have two clean, dry braces to wear every day.
As for how well the product works, I think calf compression is great. I experienced a noticeable difference in shin pain within the first day I started using them, and my shin pain decreased further every day until I was pain free. Since shin pain often radiates to the feet, my foot pain from extensive walking is gone, too. In fact, I have been without pain the year and eight months I have been wearing them daily. I plan to continue wearing them indefinitely as a preventive measure.
I have uploaded some pictures on this product page so you can see what the braces look like after being hand washed about 200 times. As you can see, they are holding up really well. They are not stretched out or raveling in any way, and in my opinion, the compression is still very good.
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
Running Heaven Jan 16, 2009
By Amy L. Haertling
It helped me a lot. I have dealt with really bad shin splints, and this brace puts the right amount of pressure on my shin that helped prevent the pain from coming back again. This does not make shin splints go away, but it does help reduce the inflammation.
9 of 10 found the following review helpful:
For the price, pretty good breathable support Jun 23, 2009
By M. Evans
This is a stretchy sheath you can pull over the calf for support and compression. I've been wearing another brand's neoprene calf support to help with shin splint pains, and while that one provides more support and compression, it's so hot & sweaty. This one is good to wear around the house or out on hot days as it's a breathable material and far more comfortable. The sizing is consistent. I like that the interiors of the sheath are seamless. The seams that run down the length of the sheath are flattened and virtually invisible on the outside, and the end seams are comfortable. The ankle area is a bit loose, but that's OK as I really need it to compress over the shin. I may use this one for shin splint prevention when I'm healthy again since it's breathable enough to run in comfortably - doesn't provide as much support as the thicker supports I'm using when rehabbing but may provide a margin of help.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
No more tender shins! May 04, 2010
By BK
"BK"
I've always suffered from shin splints anytime i run over 3-4 miles. I love to run, but hate how tender my shins are during, and for a couple days, after my runs. These immediately solved that problem. I took them out of the package and went for a 7 mile jog and felt no discomfort during or after my run. I wish I would have known about these years ago! I'm a smaller person 5'9" 160 lb male, but I still required an extra large because my calves are just under 16". They also dont come in sets, so be sure to purchase two. They breath pretty well but definately build up quite a bit of heat. They don't have seams so they dont dig in or leave marks and they dont slip when they get sweaty. I definately recommend these for anyone that suffers from shin splints!
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