Compression Technology: Research & Studies
1. The Effects of Compression Garments on Performance of Prolonged Manual-Labour Exercise and Recovery
This study investigated the effects of wearing compression garments during and 24h following a 4h exercise protocol simulating manual-labour tasks. Ten physically trained male participants, familiar with labouring activities, undertook 4h of work tasks characteristic of industrial workplaces. Compression demonstrated a moderate–large effect (d > 0.60) to reduce perceived muscle soreness, fatigue, and RPE from standardised warm-up at 24h postexercise. The current findings suggest that compression may assist in perceptual recovery from manual-labour exercise with implications for the ability to perform subsequent work bouts.
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2015-0335
2. Influence of Compression Hosiery on Physiological Responses to Standing Fatigue in Women
This investigation demonstrated that commercial hosiery with various forms of graduated compression and construction were effective in mediating a reduction in edema in the ankles and legs while reducing the amount of venous pooling and discomfort in the lower body. Different constructions of garments may mediate these overall effects via different physiological mechanisms related to fluid shifts and muscle tissue damage.
http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11079513/
3. Compression Garments Promoting Recovery
Research identifying that compression garments may improve joint awareness, local blood flow, waste product removal, alter sub-maximal oxygen usage during exercise (running economy), reduce swelling, reduce muscle oscillations, and decrease post-exercise muscle soreness, they currently remain an advisable tool for enhancing performance and recovery.
https://www.scienceforsport.com/compression-garments/
4. Biomechanical and Functional Efficacy of Knee Sleeves
Most improvements were observed in: proprioception for healthy knees, gait and balance for osteoarthritic knees, and functional improvement of injured knees. This review suggests that knee sleeves can affect functional improvements to knee problems.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28673759/
5. Compression Garments for Medical Therapy and Sports
Appropriately designed orthopedic supports create a positive anatomical change in the body as well as an increase in body strength, enhance motor skills, and/or provide support to paraplegic patients, neonates, elderly, pregnant, and nursing women, and patients with motor disabilities.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6404358/
6. Evaluation of a Lower-body Compression Garment
Ten male and 10 female track athletes on a university's nationally competitive track team, specializing in sprint or jump events, participated in the study. Testing utilized the compression shorts with loose-fitting gym shorts as the control garment. Several significant effects were revealed for the custom-fit compressive garment. Although 60 m sprint time was not affected, hip flexion angle was reduced. Skin temperature increased more and at a faster rate during a warm-up protocol. Muscle oscillation was decreased during vertical jump landing. Countermovement vertical jump height increased when the participants were wearing the custom-fit compression garment. In materials testing, the elasticity of the compressive garment provides increased flexion and extension torque at the end range of extension and flexion, respectively, and may assist the hamstrings in controlling the leg at the end of the swing phase in sprinting. The compressive garment significantly reduced impact force by 27% compared with American football pants alone. Through various mechanisms, these findings may translate into an effect on athletic performance and a reduction in injuries.