I think there's some benefit in wearing tights. A physio told me recently that the compression offered by a pair of tight tights would help a calf problem I had. He recommended Skins tights, but at over £50 a pair (or something like that) I decided to put them on my xmas list.
Mike, please don't get any skins.
Have to confess that's exactly what I thought the first comment on this thread was going to be!!