| May 18, 2026 |
NatNews |
ISSUE 218 |
THESE BOOTS WERE NOT MADE FOR WALKING—BUT THEY ARE STILL HELPFUL
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Perhaps you’ve seen (or experienced for yourself) a person’s legs covered in bulky inflated boots that almost look like they belong on a cartoon character. What you witnessed or took part in is simply someone trying to reap the benefits of compression therapy. For those who are athletes or regularly engage in some form of exercise, compression boots help with more efficient recovery by reducing muscle soreness and swelling after workouts or competitions. They help improve circulation, allowing nutrients and oxygen to reach tissues more effectively, which ultimately supports expedited repair, and assist in flushing lactic acid and metabolic waste. These boots can be also used as a warm-up activity prior to exercise to help increase mobility and flexibility. Even if you don’t take part in consistent physical activity, compression boots can serve as a helpful option. Sitting for long durations can negatively impact circulation, especially in the lower body. Individuals who consistently work at desks often experience leg heaviness, stiffness, or swelling by the end of the day as a result of reduced blood flow and extended periods of immobility. Compression boots can help counteract these effects by igniting circulation and relieving pressure in the legs, essentially reducing discomfort and improving overall leg health. Dallas-area resident Ivan Alonzo owns his own pair of compression boots and even lets his friends borrow them from time to time. He said one of the most significant benefits of using compression boots is that doing so forces a person to sit still and relax while wearing them, though he doesn’t necessarily believe that they are the optimal option. “The massage effect feels great,” he said. “However, the research is mixed in terms of physiological benefits of regular usage. Still, whether it’s placebo or actually helping with recovery, they feel good, and I get a chance to relax, which is ultimately a good thing.” Regardless, Alonzo said he thinks that using compression boots can serve as an effective form of recovery, injury prevention, regular body maintenance, or a combination of all, though such use is contingent upon certain factors. “It depends on what you are prioritizing at that time—prehab or recovery versus rehab,” he said. “Ideally, you want to set yourself up for success and injury prevention, which you could do any number of ways (e.g., eating well, prioritizing sleep, stretching and mobility, etc.).” This particular form of body therapy can also be beneficial at various stages of life. Abri Galante, a collegiate volleyball player, said she has found compression boots to be advantageous throughout her athletic endeavors. |
“I think compression boots are so great for helping with swelling and inflammation,” she said. “It’s a great recovery tool to help you with any soreness.” And while Galante said she believes that compression boots are useful for injury prevention and consistent body maintenance, she thinks that they are most successful in aiding with recovery. “When using them for recovery, post-training is the most beneficial,” she said. “In terms of injury prevention, the boots help with circulation, which means healthier tissue and a better chance at no injuries. With maintenance, the boots can be used as a post-everyday tool, not just for training purposes.” Some individuals might be hesitant to use a device that tightly grips the legs and feels somewhat like it’s cutting off circulation rather than improving it, but Galante noted that using the boots typically doesn’t pose any significant dangers. She advises sitting in them after working out and not upping the pressure too quickly. “It’s best to start on a lower setting to get a feel for them and then increase whenever you get the hang of them,” she said. “Also, 20 minutes is also plenty of time—there’s no need to go over that.” Locally, individuals can visit Dallas’ Cryo1one, which offers 20-minute compression therapy sessions in relaxing lounge chairs. While there, one can also take advantage of Cryo1one’s several other services, including cryotherapy, contour red light therapy, IV therapy, dry salt therapy, infrared sauna, and much more. Like Galante, Alonzo doesn’t think that there are any substantial drawbacks to incorporating the use of compression boots into one’s routine. “Whether the benefits are 100-percent placebo or physiological, there is only a net-positive effect from regular use,” he said. As an experienced sage, Alonzo said he would caution others not to go purchase expensive compression boots without first testing them for themselves. “While I like the massage, others may not,” he said. “And some might feel like it’s a complete waste of time, which could be the case for those individuals. Training, recovery, and injury prevention are all so individual—whether compression boots are ‘good for you’ is no different.” |
DID YOU KNOW?
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The average pencil can write approximately 45,000 words (or supposedly draw a line roughly 35 miles long, a theory that has yet to be validated). |
MAYBE CHANGE IT UP BY HOPPING ON THE TRAIN WITH A DREAM AND A CARDIGAN
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It might be time to give a break to that pickup truck you don’t let someone else drive or that new Maserati going down a dead-end street. Nearly 4 billion individuals use public transportation globally, particularly in urban areas, with 50 percent of people throughout Asia taking advantage of such transit options. That percentage is closer to between 10 and 20 percent in the U.S., though total transit ridership throughout the nation has seen gradual growth over recent years, especially after dipping during the pandemic. New York is the nation’s largest urbanized area and accounts for more than 46 percent of the country’s transit trips by itself. New York City resident Katie Comerford has lived in the city for 13 years and commuted to work daily prior to the pandemic. She said she now works in a hybrid model, which reduces how often she takes the subway, though she still relies on it approximately five of the seven days each week. “Having lived in Austin and Dallas and driving everywhere, I truly value having public transportation,” she said. “In Manhattan, it’s honestly the fastest option. We have so much traffic that a ‘quick cab ride’ can sometimes be the opposite. There may be train delays, but the subway is very reliable. I don’t have to be in charge, so I can read a book or catch up on email. In the summers, I can take the Long Island Railroad directly to a beach in an hour.” Chicago resident Amber Lenstrom said she uses public transportation two to three times each week, though she sometimes does so every day when the weather conditions are ideal. “I live in downtown Chicago right off a train line and have three bus lines that stop in front of my building,” she said. “I’m also a member of Divvy, which is a shared bike service with regular bikes, e-bikes, and scooters that I use almost daily as soon as it gets warm enough to do that.” Lenstrom cited several benefits of opting for public transportation over driving, including its environmental friendliness, efficiency, and affordability ($2.50 to get anywhere in the city, $5 to get directly to the airport, and savings in not having to pay for parking or gas). “Traffic is terrible in so many places, and I love just being able to read a book or listen to music, rather than having to navigate directions or weaving in and out of traffic lights,” she said. “I like to go out and have drinks with my friends, and I love not ever having to worry about drinking and driving—I always have a safe ride home for myself and my friends.” Lenstrom said she also appreciates that using public transportation is never a mundane experience. “It’s for everyone—the young, the old, and everyone in between,” she said. “I love this about a big city. In Chicago, we have executives and doctors as well as the homeless and disenfranchised taking public transport. Sometimes there are crazy psych patients on your bus, but there are always ‘normal’ people, too, and you can just kind of smirk at each other and let someone else drive you around.” While New York City and Chicago have frequent public transit users, it’s not as common for individuals in some other big cities. In Dallas, less than 4 percent of the local population uses public transportation to commute, despite the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system serving as an available option. Dallas resident CJ Shelton is one of the few in that small percentage, noting that he hops on the DART one to three times each week, whether going to his workplace, to various events, or to spend time with friends, and he appreciates the convenience it provides. “It’s cost-effective, efficient, and easily navigable,” he said. “I’m able to get work done or get on my phone or laptop when I need to, and it eliminates the wear and tear on my car and having to sit in rush-hour traffic. It’s saving me money right now with these outrageous gas prices and is cheaper than an Uber.” A standard local DART day pass is $6, with the option to purchase a 31-day pass that reduces the daily rate. Another convenience Shelton said he is a fan of is the connectivity with his iPhone, as DART has a mobile app called GoPass®, which allows users to purchase tickets, check schedules, and access real-time transit information.
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“Especially if you look it up ahead of time, you can use the app and type in where you want to go,” he said. “Even Apple Maps is good about that through the DART system—you can pick the train, and it will tell you which line to use and where to get off.” Not everyone in the Dallas area values the DART system, as voters in Highland Park recently opted to end its services. Such a decision, however, encourages the opposite of what many individuals, including Shelton, believe should be occurring in regard to public transportation. “I 100 percent think it should be used more,” he said. “I think some people just don’t think about it from an environmental standpoint, but the more people who use it, the better.” Like Shelton, Comerford appreciates the availability of public transportation and said she believes that it should be used by more individuals where it’s available, particularly in metropolitan areas. “In a city so large and crowded, I question why anyone would deal with driving in NYC,” she said. “The honking is insane sometimes. I think there are so many good things about using public transportation and cutting down on car emissions, traffic, and overcrowding streets as makeshift parking lots.” Lenstrom added that she thinks that if more people used public transportation, it would help decongest several roads and could cut down on people’s commute times while also reducing pollution. The main downside she notices of the transit option is that the timing can sometimes be unreliable or delayed, causing people to be late to their destinations. “I think this is the biggest reason people don’t use it,” she said. “Other cities, like in Japan, have super reliable public transportation that is always on time, efficient, etc. We are pretty far from that. I still think the benefits outweigh this, but you just have to leave earlier and allow for enough time.” In addition to potential time-related issues, some individuals have concerns regarding safety when taking public transportation. In Dallas, DART recently strengthened its public safety measures, which include increased security officer presence. Shelton said he has never felt endangered while on the DART train, and the main improvement he would like to see is the addition of more stops. “It’s tough to understand why more people don’t use the DART,” he said. “It goes to so many places, including the airport, and I think it does a lot of things well. You have A/C when it’s hot and heat when it’s cold, and they make sure to monitor any issues. Unhoused individuals will often use it, but I don’t care if someone wants to ride in the A/C for 20 minutes.” Comerford said she is aware of other people’s hesitations to use certain transit options and that the New York City subway has a bit of a reputation issue outside of the locals. “I always take visitors on the subway, but I do let them know to be aware of their surroundings,” she said. “I have never had any issues, but with any big city and so many people going on the subway every day, there will be the issues that make the news.” Comerford added that, though she is grateful for the benefits her city’s public transportation system offers, the improvements she would like to see include an increase in sanitation maintenance of the trains and stations. “I have seen how pristine the DC Metro is, and I wish we had that same level of cleanliness in NYC,” she said. “If the subway platforms, elevators, and trains were cleaner, I think more people would have less worry or aversion to taking the trains. But I do think the city does a good job of ensuring that there are public transportation options to support big events and venues, too, which is really nice.” WEEKLY PHOTO OP     .jpg)  NatNews staff and some dear readers recently celebrated Razzle Dazzle’s birthday with camaraderie and nostalgic arcade games |
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Monday, May 18: Dallas Wings vs. Washington Mystics at College Park Center; Free Cult Classic Movie — Clerks at Sundown at Granada |