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A good quote to summarize the why and the how of compression clothing:
The circulatory system is comprised of both arterial and venous blood flow. Arterial blood is pumped from the heart/lungs, is oxygenated and flows at a high pressure (> ~120 mmHg - i.e. your systolic blood pressure). Correct fitting compression garments will not significantly impede this arterial blood flow.
Venous blood, however, (deoxygenated, having done it's metabolic job passing through the capillaries and offloading oxygen and nutrients to the active muscle) flows at a much lower pressure (< ~20mmHg). These veins have special venous 'one-way' valves built in which allow blood to go back toward the heart, but not the other way. Muscular contractions squeeze the blood back to the heart which is the main mechanism for venous return. Compression garments utilize this same mechanism.
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