Compression Sleeves Increase Tissue Oxygen Saturation But Not Running Performance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of calf compression sleeves on running performance and on calf tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) at rest before exercise and during recovery period. 14 moderately trained athletes completed 2 identical sessions of treadmill running with and without calf compression sleeves in randomized order. Each session comprised: 15 min at rest, 30 min at 60% maximal aerobic velocity determined beforehand, 15 min of passive recovery, a running time to exhaustion at 100% maximal aerobic velocity, and 30 min of passive recovery. Calf StO₂ was determined by near infra-red spectroscopy and running performance by the time to exhaustion. Compression sleeves increased significantly StO₂ at rest before exercise (+ 6.4±1.9%) and during recovery from exercise (+ 7.4±1.7% and + 10.7±1.8% at 20^th and 30^th min of the last recovery period, respectively). No difference was observed between the times to exhaustion performed with and without compression sleeves (269.4±18.4 s and 263.3±19.8 s, respectively). Within the framework of this study, the compression sleeves do not improve running performance in tlim. However the StO₂ results argue for further interest of this garment during effort recovery.

Key words

external compression - near infra-red spectroscopy - recovery - exhaustion

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