Ever wonder how athletic compression can fit into your injury management routine? Professional soccer player and SKINS Ambassador, Delaney Baie Pridham, reflects on an recent ACL and meniscus tear and how SKINS aided in her recovery process.
By: Delaney Baie Pridham
As a professional soccer player, every decision regarding my health has a significant impact on my performance and success as an athlete. This is why I have chosen SKINS to back my athletic career. In the beginning of 2023, I signed with a new club called Linköping FC, which is in Sweden’s Premier League (Damallsvenskan). During one of our cup games early in the year, I unfortunately suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus tear. As a result, I was out for the season. This was obviously a very harsh reality, however it was one that I needed to accept. I had to transition my focus to recovery to get back on the field the following season.
Throughout the year, I have focused 100% of my energy towards my healing and recovery process. SKINS has played a significant role in accelerating my rehab. Physical therapy was a daily routine and that meant long hours in the gym rebuilding muscles around the knee and strengthening fine motor skills. The intensity of these exercises grew as months went on post-surgery and that meant my body started to get tested more than usual.
When new exercises were added, it was a shock to my muscles, and soreness was inevitable. However, using SKINS compression pants allowed me to minimize my soreness, reduce fatigue, and expedite my recovery overnight so that I could tackle the next day of exercises and be consistent with my progression in rehab.
People have asked me, “Why SKINS?” Throughout my soccer career, I have tried various compression companies, but have never been fully satisfied with the results, until I tried SKINS. Unlike other brands, SKINS uses fabric technology called gradient compression that surpasses the effectiveness and longevity of other brands.
Whether I am wearing SKINS before, during, or after a workout, the compression of the product is actively enhancing blood flow circulation and delaying the onset of muscle soreness. I am waking up after a hard day feeling better than I thought I would, which is allowing me to progress my training regiment and is critical to my recovery. I will be returning to Linköping FC this 2024 season and I am looking forward to being back on the field playing again.
What I love about SKINS compression is that it’s for everyone, whether you’re an athlete or not. I am using compression on a daily basis, whether it’s my SKINS Sleepwear while sleeping or lounging around my apartment, or my SERIES-3 Long Tights when I do my errands, travel or workout. Thank you SKINS for backing my lifestyle as a professional athlete!
I returned to Linköping a few days ago and will start back up with the squad this week. My training now will be focused on getting back into game shape and will consist of running, strength, and ball work on the field. Throughout this pre-season period from January until early April, I will be making my way back to train fully with the team and plan to be game-ready for the season to start in April!
