Compression......a load of old carp or the magic pajamas we've all been waiting for?

Mmmmmmmmm......lycra.

Compression is one of the latest fads/great breakthrough in endurance sports.  Triathletes in particular seem attracted to the donning of calf guards and the like with every other competitor seeming to sport a pair of calf guards or compression socks, but is it purely fashion or is there a genuine benefit to this possibly unnecessary lycra?  There are many reviews floating around the internet that give a person's experience of compression wear, some find it useful, others don't.  However, there is also a growing body of scientific research being done on the subject, as many athletes search for those few %s of performance.

One of the latest studies to be published was done by Marks et al. at the Saint Mary’s College of California, which found that calf compression resulted in increased mean oxygen saturation during exercise, lower heart rate pre-, during and post-exercise and also lower mean lactate values.  The reduction in heart rate was accredited to an increase in venous return due to the compressive action of the calf guards/tights.  This increased stroke volume, thereby requiring a lower heart rate to maintain the same cardic output, as:

Cardiac Output = Stroke Volume x Heart Rate

Stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped out of the heart in one "beat".

The study done by Marks et al. is linked below.  There is also a literature review of many of the studies which have been done looking at the effects of compression.  It does a good job of comparing evidence compiled during and post-exercise, so addresses both the performance and recovery aspect of compression very well, and is a good place to start if you'd like a general overview.

But, to save you the time of trawling through all of that, the results of the studies can be roughly summarised as:

1. Benefits from compression DURING exercise are debatable.  Many studies have found no effect, while some (such as the one mentioned above) have found there is a benefit.  If it works, don't let some numbers in a study convince you otherwise, but don't be expecting miracles if you're trying it for the first time.
2. Benefits from compression AFTER exercise are possibly more widely accepted.  

My personal experience of compression is very good.  They're my magic pajamas.  I like the way they feel on tired legs and I do seem to feel fresher after wearing them.  They also do a great job of keeping my legs warm as toast.  I think this can only help venous return and (I think) therefore help remove all the bad stuff left in your legs after exercise which damages your muscles/makes them feel sore.

I have a pair of 2XU Elite compression tights.  They're slightly tighter squeezing than their normal ones.  They seem to have lasted very well considering how often I wear them.  The band that keeps the ankle tight was was way too tight at first, putting them on the first couple of times was a little nerve racking as I could hear stitches stretching!  But they've stretched a little to accommodate my large feet now and all is well.  The only thing that's gone a little wrong with these tights is the "X"s on the thigh and calf  have started peeling off.  They're little more than a decal and once an edge comes up, they just start to peel off.  Mine are still mostly intact, but that's only through some very tactical removal of the offending peel-age. £70 was a lot of money to pay for what could have ended up as little more than tights, but I'm glad I did.  I will probably replace these tights at some point during the winter, as I would like to try them during exercise as well.  

A couple of studies mentioned...

1. Effects of wearing compression socks on submaximal exercise during prolonged exposure to moderate altitude: a pilot study. Marks et al.
2. Literature Review of the Benefits of Compression.

There's lots of different types, grades, makes, designs and quality of compression out there now.  I would personally recommend at least trying it.

James out.