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Over the past 5 decades, compression stockings have been used in the medical field to help enhance venous flow after injury or surgery. These are worn on legs and/or thighs to minimize blood clots of the involved lower extremity. To be maximally effective, an electrical machine is hooked up to this pair of “socks/sleeves” to provide a pressure gradient that diminishes from the ankle upward, which in turn controls the compressive force on blood vessels of the calves. Other devices called pedal pumps can be used in a similar fashion to wrap around the foot for the same purpose-intermittent mechanical squeezing of the limbs.
More recently, an increasing interest has surfaced among athletes/active individuals on the ergogenic effects of wearing compression clothing while competing/exercising. Touted benefits include enhancing performance and minimizing soreness. Specifically speaking, the results that those who wear compressive garments hope to gain are improvements in muscular power, strength, endurance, limb balance, and even injury treatment.
So what does research reveal about compression garments? Articles written about compressive clothing state the following: the resultant desired effects center on ease of lactic acid removal, better muscle contraction, and more of a positive psychological edge to perform better during sporting activities or athletic competition. Mechanism of action for this type of performance gear is believed to increase skin temperature during warm-up, improve force generated within the involved joint, and decrease load absorbed during impact/landing maneuvers.
Different scientists performed studies on athletes riding vigorously on a bicycle ergometer who wore compression garments, have shown that blood levels of lactate seem to be cleared faster afterwards. In addition, these subjects’ blood volume was also expanded as well. By getting rid of lactic acid more quickly during AND after training or competing, this in turn helps with muscle recovery, especially post exercising strenuously. Furthermore, by clearing out metabolic by-products after vigorous workouts more efficiently, athletes seem to perform better upon returning to similar physical tasks. Along the same lines, other scientific papers have demonstrated that wearing compression leggings can help to boost power during bouts of repetitive jumping ie explosive movements/plyometrics.
Another positive resultant effect of wearing compression garments while recovering from an athletic activity, is that it seems to reduce symptoms of delayed on set muscle soreness (DOMS) from working out too intensely i.e. perception of feeling sore is lessened (positive limb sensation). Swelling of the involved extremity is also decreased, along with an improved ability to produce muscular force of contraction.
To sum up, ergogenic effects of compressive clothing on athletic performance and/or recovery vary depending on when they’re worn - timing (during and/or after) and the type of garment used i.e. whole body, arm sleeves, or knee-high socks. Beneficial mechanisms also depend on what kind of exercise is being performed (cardio or resistance training). Compression garments worn on legs while exercising are thought to decrease microtrauma within muscles, plus increase return of venous blood by application of an external circumferential pressure gradient, which enhances blood flow and reduces extremity swelling, therefore improving sports performance. Furthermore, compression socks, if worn post working out while recovering, are believed to speed up clearance of metabolic wastes, minimize edema, and facilitate delivery of oxygen to muscles.
In conclusion, some research studies do show that compression garments may be worn on legs, arms, or the entire body while working out, engaging in sporting activity or athletic competition, to potentially aid in athletic performance and muscle recovery.
So why don’t you go grab a pair of compressive knee-high socks and wear them the next time you compete, to help you feel stronger/more powerful, lift heavier, jump higher, run faster, and hopefully last longer, so you can edge out the competition, and walk away with less soreness along with the winning prize!
Natural Muscle mag
More recently, an increasing interest has surfaced among athletes/active individuals on the ergogenic effects of wearing compression clothing while competing/exercising. Touted benefits include enhancing performance and minimizing soreness. Specifically speaking, the results that those who wear compressive garments hope to gain are improvements in muscular power, strength, endurance, limb balance, and even injury treatment.
So what does research reveal about compression garments? Articles written about compressive clothing state the following: the resultant desired effects center on ease of lactic acid removal, better muscle contraction, and more of a positive psychological edge to perform better during sporting activities or athletic competition. Mechanism of action for this type of performance gear is believed to increase skin temperature during warm-up, improve force generated within the involved joint, and decrease load absorbed during impact/landing maneuvers.
Different scientists performed studies on athletes riding vigorously on a bicycle ergometer who wore compression garments, have shown that blood levels of lactate seem to be cleared faster afterwards. In addition, these subjects’ blood volume was also expanded as well. By getting rid of lactic acid more quickly during AND after training or competing, this in turn helps with muscle recovery, especially post exercising strenuously. Furthermore, by clearing out metabolic by-products after vigorous workouts more efficiently, athletes seem to perform better upon returning to similar physical tasks. Along the same lines, other scientific papers have demonstrated that wearing compression leggings can help to boost power during bouts of repetitive jumping ie explosive movements/plyometrics.
Another positive resultant effect of wearing compression garments while recovering from an athletic activity, is that it seems to reduce symptoms of delayed on set muscle soreness (DOMS) from working out too intensely i.e. perception of feeling sore is lessened (positive limb sensation). Swelling of the involved extremity is also decreased, along with an improved ability to produce muscular force of contraction.
To sum up, ergogenic effects of compressive clothing on athletic performance and/or recovery vary depending on when they’re worn - timing (during and/or after) and the type of garment used i.e. whole body, arm sleeves, or knee-high socks. Beneficial mechanisms also depend on what kind of exercise is being performed (cardio or resistance training). Compression garments worn on legs while exercising are thought to decrease microtrauma within muscles, plus increase return of venous blood by application of an external circumferential pressure gradient, which enhances blood flow and reduces extremity swelling, therefore improving sports performance. Furthermore, compression socks, if worn post working out while recovering, are believed to speed up clearance of metabolic wastes, minimize edema, and facilitate delivery of oxygen to muscles.
In conclusion, some research studies do show that compression garments may be worn on legs, arms, or the entire body while working out, engaging in sporting activity or athletic competition, to potentially aid in athletic performance and muscle recovery.
So why don’t you go grab a pair of compressive knee-high socks and wear them the next time you compete, to help you feel stronger/more powerful, lift heavier, jump higher, run faster, and hopefully last longer, so you can edge out the competition, and walk away with less soreness along with the winning prize!
Natural Muscle mag
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