THE BENEFITS OF an active lifestyle are bountiful. Whatever it is that gets you moving is a good thing. But with movement often comes recovery. Even the best of the best need to take a break and recharge so they can unplug, get out and smash their goals even harder. We see our heroes and idols on the frontlines inspiring the masses, but that doesn’t mean we should overlook the quiet contributors moving and shaking behind the scenes. It takes a village. It takes the right doctor. Or, in some cases, it just takes the right socks.
Dr. Jonathan Hersch is a sports medicine specialist located in Boca Raton, Florida, who lives an active lifestyle while providing aid to athletes who need it most. He's also not only a friend of Lasso, but an investor and a member of our medical advisory board. To put it simply, Dr. Hersch works with athletes on recovery and prevention to ensure they keep moving and doing what they love for as long as they possibly can. And he’s one of the best in the biz. Like many first-time Lasso users, Dr. Hersch tried a pair of our Lasso Socks 2.0, immediately loved them, and now avidly lives the Lasso lifestyle. He joins us and every other believer in Lasso on our quest to keep the gears of the world grinding one step at a time. “I originally met the [Lasso] founders on Linkedin and was truly impressed with their vision and products,” says Hersch. “Subsequently I followed them on Instagram and I was hooked. I invested and started wearing the socks especially for cycling.”
Dr. Hersch is an active cycler and instantly felt the benefits of Lasso’s unique compression technology, telling us, “The combination of compression, support, comfort and the dry-fit-like feel all together is one of a kind. Your feet can get really sweaty, painful, and develop blisters, or even get numb when cycling 40 to 80 miles,” explains Dr. Hersch. “But Lasso socks are incredible for moisture control, padding in the perfect locations and compression when you ride.” Dr. Hersch doesn’t only use them for cycling either. He utilizes the benefits professionally as well, adding, “My primary use is for cycling but I also wear the knee-high medical Lasso socks for long days in the operating room. My legs feel amazing. It’s almost like a massage while I work.” So whether he’s clocking mile after mile on his bike or clocking hours at work, Dr. Hersch is one of the many people taking advantage of Lasso’s proven benefits.
Here at Lasso, we know recovery is just as important as moving. They go hand-in-hand. So ultimately, we wanted to know when Dr. Hersch used Lasso socks during treatment with his patients in terms of pre- and post-surgery because Lasso’s unique compression technology benefits both. “A couple athletes I've turned onto the website are usually people who have had an injury like an ankle sprain or complain of instability of their ankle,” says Hersch. Adding, “Or they’re having some trouble after a surgery, like a fractured ankle. Then I have some other patients who have chronic swelling on the leg, below the knee, and use the long compression socks. They may have swelling, either from a prior injury or some type of medical condition, and I think those long medical compression socks are really great. Those are especially good for nurses who are standing on their feet all day, or other doctors and professionals who are on their feet all day.” And although Dr. Hersch doesn’t personally suffer from issues of swelling, he mentions, “They just keep the compression. They make your legs feel less tired, and you can really last 8-10 hours on your feet.”
As far as the non-recovery benefits of Lasso socks, Dr. Hersch says, “The proprioceptive feedback and true support is key to help prevent ankle injuries.” So wearing the socks can be just as useful to mend an injury as it can to stabilize and support you during activities. And when asked what treatments he utilizes Lasso products for his patients, he simply stated, “I usually recommend it primarily for athletes who want a great performance sock for foot and ankle support and recovery.” A simple notion that can carry the weight of the world.
Many things attracted Dr. Hersch to his line of work. It’s a fulfilling and challenging career, but one that he prides himself on, especially when he and his patients are on the same page. “In general, most athletes and weekend warriors desire to get better,” he explains. “They’re motivated in their rehabilitation whether it's with or without surgery. So it's just nice to have a partnership with patients who are moving towards the goal of getting their problem better and back to whatever they love to do.” Real recognizes real, and this common understanding works for both Hersch and his patients. He’s not only practicing what he preaches, he’s sincerely living it. He’s participating in the movement. He’s reaping the benefits of Lasso socks, professionally and personally. And at the end of the day, he’s simply trying to improve the quality of life for every one of his patients. “You know, some areas of orthopedics treat cancer, where you’re trying to save a life, which is a different perspective,” explains Hersch. “I’m just trying to improve people's quality of life.”
Like everyone here at Lasso, Dr. Hersch’s clientele all share the same common desire: to get better. To be better. To stay moving. “I work a lot with healthier patients who are devastated and trying to get their quality of life back. They’ve had an injury, they can’t do the things they love and are devastated,” says Hersch. “My goal is to help them get back to doing as much as they can active-wise as possible.”