Effect of lower body compression garments on submaximal and maximal running performance in cold (10°C) and hot (32°C) environments

Abstract

No previous studies have investigated the effect of lower body compression garments (CG) on running performance in the heat. This study tested the hypothesis that CG would negatively affect running performance in the heat by comparing CG and non-CG conditions for running performance and physiological responses in hot and cold conditions. Ten male recreational runners (29.0 ± 10.0 years, [Formula: see text]max: 58.7 ± 2.7 ml kg(-1) min(-1)) performed four treadmill tests consisting of 20-min running at first ventilatory threshold followed by a run to exhaustion at [Formula: see text]max velocity in four conditions: 10°C with CG, 10°C without CG, 32°C with CG, and 32°C without CG (randomised, counterbalanced order). Time to exhaustion (TTE), skin and rectal temperature, [Formula: see text], heart rate and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were compared between CG and non-CG conditions at each environmental temperature. TTE was not significantly different between the CG and non-CG conditions at 10°C (158 ± 74 vs. 148 ± 73 s) and 32°C (115 ± 40 vs. 97 ± 33 s); however, there was a small (0.15) and moderate effect size (0.48), respectively, suggestive of an improvement in TTE with CG. Lower limb skin temperature was 1.5°C higher at 10°C with CG (P < 0.05), but no significant differences in other physiological variables, including rectal temperature, were observed between garment conditions. Interestingly, RPE was lower (P < 0.05) during submaximal running at 32°C with CG (13.8 ± 2.0) compared with non-CG (14.5 ± 2.7). It was concluded that CG had no adverse effects on running performance in hot conditions.

Pressure and coverage effects of sporting compression garments on cardiovascular function, thermoregulatory function, and exercise performance

“…That wearing CG resulted in higher covered-skin temperature was not surprising, and is consistent with the other studies (Duffield et al 2008;Duffield and Portus 2007;Goh et al 2010;Houghton et al 2009), as is the lack of significant effect on core temperature (Duffield et al 2008;Goh et al 2010;Houghton et al 2009) and mass loss (Duffield et al 2008;Duffield and Portus 2007;Goh et al 2010;Houghton et al 2009), including when full-body CG were worn (Duffield and Portus 2007). While clothing is a barrier to heat transfer, the prevailing conditions (convective air flow, warm air) and fabric properties (\1 mm thick, high air permeability, high capacity to hold free moisture) likely mitigated adverse effects in the present study.…”

“…These findings (wide range of applied pressures) in association with our own (high body coverage) seem to indicate that CG do not mitigate cardiovascular strain during dynamic exercise. Exercising HR has consistently been similar with or without CG (inter-study differences in applied pressures and body coverage, although typically lower-body garments) during cycling (Chatard et al 2004;Scanlan et al 2008) and running (Ali et al 2007(Ali et al , 2010Bringard et al 2006b;Duffield et al 2008;Duffield and Portus 2007;Goh et al 2010;Higgins et al 2009;Houghton et al 2009;Kemmler et al 2009). In the present study, although HR was not significantly different, it was numerically higher in CG conditions as exercise was prolonged.…”

“…Higgins et al 2009). Performance measures during prolonged exercise were typically similar with or without CG (Ali et al 2007;Berry and McMurray 1987;Duffield and Portus 2007;Goh et al 2010;Scanlan et al 2008;Sperlich et al 2010), although benefits have been reported with statistical significance (Kemmler et al 2009) or practical significance (effect size = 0.86) (Higgins et al 2009). …”

“…Exercising skin temperatures have typically been higher when covered by CG (Duffield et al 2008;Duffield and Portus 2007;Goh et al 2010;Houghton et al 2009), but without significant effect on sweat rate/mass loss (Duffield et al 2008;Duffield and Portus 2007;Goh et al 2010;Houghton et al 2009) or core temperature (Duffield et al 2008;Goh et al 2010;Houghton et al 2009) in cool to hot environments. Influences on local skin temperature are likely primarily due to the inherent insulation of the garment and associated air, however, pressure per se is known to affect skin perfusion (Mayrovitz and Delgado 1996;Mayrovitz and Sims 2003) and, thus, potentially also heat storage and cardiovascular function.…”

“…Augmented local perfusion has been reported for the forearm and leg (Bochmann et al 2005;Mayrovitz and Larsen 1997), and may account for increases in muscle oxygenation (calf) at rest (Bringard et al 2006a). Data on cardiovascular strain during exercise are typically limited to heart rate (HR), and indicate no significant effect during various forms of running (Ali et al 2007(Ali et al , 2010Bringard et al 2006b;Duffield et al 2008;Duffield and Portus 2007;Goh et al 2010;Higgins et al 2009;Houghton et al 2009;Kemmler et al 2009) and cycling (Scanlan et al 2008).…”