Compression gear has been trending in athletic wear for a while now. It’s common to see athletes in all kinds of sports wearing compression leggings, socks, and sleeves. But what does the research show about the role compression gear plays in performance and fitness? Read on to find out.
Cardiorespiratory Effects
A study by a group of Spanish researchers published in the journal Biology of Sport showed that wearing compression garments while running was not found to have any benefit to cardiorespiratory performance. They measured variables such as heart rate, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and oxygen pulse, among others. After three weeks of wearing compression gear, the runners they tested showed no changes in any of these areas.
Although this study focused only on runners, it seems reasonable to think that the results would apply to any cardiovascular-focused exercise, such as bicycling, hiking, and walking. Therefore, if you are hoping to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, you might think twice before investing in compression gear.
Effects on Speed
What about compression gear’s effects on speed? A group of researchers from Sweden and Germany published an article in the journal Sports Medicine that addresses this question. They reviewed other articles that showed the results of testing runners of events including a half marathon, a 15k trail run, a 10k, a 5k, and a 400m sprint, and they found no significant effect on running times in any of the previously published research.
While this review of studies again focused only on runners, the results would likely be similar for other speed-related forms of exercise, such as speed walking.
Effects on Endurance
One area where compression gear was shown to have a positive effect was endurance. The researchers who wrote the Sports Medicine article reviewed previously published articles that showed positive effects on the time it took for runners to reach exhaustion if they wore compression gear. In other words, runners wearing compression gear showed greater endurance than those not wearing the gear.
Again, this review of research focused only on runners, but if compression gear can improve endurance when it comes to running, it can likely improve endurance in other sports as well. Many athletes need endurance to excel in their sports. Long-distance bicyclists, tennis players, football players, and anyone else who finds themselves exercising for long periods might benefit from compression gear to improve their endurance.
Effects on Muscle Soreness
Another area shown to benefit from compression gear is muscle soreness. The Sports Medicine article indicated that muscle damage, inflammation, and soreness can be reduced by wearing compression gear. Another study by researchers from Elon University in North Carolina and published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that perception of muscle soreness in the legs decreased when participants wore compression stockings.
If you are looking for a way to decrease your muscle soreness during or after exercise, you might want to give compression gear a try. For a small investment, you might experience less soreness as a result.
Effects on Recovery
Can compression gear improve recovery after exercise? Research points to positive effects in this area as well. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research article noted that participants indicated their rate of recovery improved thanks to compression gear. In addition to compression gear, ideal methods for recovery include ice baths, rest, and sleep, to name just a few. When you combine all these techniques, you stand a good chance of optimizing your post-exercise recovery.
Psychological Effects
Compression gear can benefit you psychologically as well. Both the article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and the article in Sports Medicine noted athletes’ perception of improved performance and perception of improved recovery due to the wearing of compression gear. This means that even if no physical benefits could be measured, wearing compression gear had a positive psychological effect.
We know that mindset plays a big role in attaining physical fitness. Our perception of our fitness can greatly impact our physical health. In fact, those who believe they are not as healthy are more likely to die than those who do believe they are healthy. Therefore, if wearing compression gear can help athletes believe they are improving their performance and recovery, perhaps their performance and recovery will improve. For the small cost it takes to buy compression gear, it might be worth a try.