2XU joins me on the road to recovery
I thought I would give you all an update on my improving health. One of the medical recommendations to ease the discomfort of blood clots is to wear compression garments. Compression tights force the blood from the superficial veins towards my deep veins, which helps circulate the blood past my clots, and basically, makes my leg feel less painful. I first heard of 2XU tights in the week leading up to the world championships. My roommate, Oenone, was pulling on these tights after our training sessions and using them to aid in recovery. Having only heard of skins, I was keen to learn more about this latest innovation. I made a few enquires about 2XU and then went online and researched their products in detail. I needed to be sure that the compression was medically correct to help with my rehabilitation. The tights are 50 denier in thickness which equates to about 30-40mmHg of pressure. The compression is graduated – so what this means is that they are tighter around my calves and gradually less tight around my thighs and waist. This helps circulate the blood back to towards the heart. The tights have a circular knit weave so it gives compression from every angle, not just horizontally and vertically. I rang Anthony Orwin, 2XU Marketing Manager, who has been fantastic in helping me after hearing about my health situation. I was soon decked out in some great 2XU products, which not only looked great, but were important for my rehabilitation. I wear the compression tights on the stationary bike, in the gym, when resting at home but also when swimming. They feel fantastic in the water and being an ex-triathlete, the sensation of the tights is almost like wearing a thin wetsuit. So I can happily report that I am pedaling freely again on the trainer and all the stiffness around my calf and up the back of my knee has gone. My doctor has prescribed blood thinning medication for another 5 weeks so in early January the clots should be gone for good. Today I did a photo shoot for a new range of 2XU cycling clothes. The photos will be up on the website soon so if you want to see how I did as a part-time model!!! www.2XU.com For those of you that have had a sports injury, you will understand the frustration and disruption it causes. The rehabilitation journey can be difficult and challenging. I have had so much support from family, friends, the Australian and Victorian institute of sport, my sponsors and now 2XU. I am so grateful for your support which has helped in my journey back to good health. Thankyou. |