Effect of Wearing Lower-Body Compression Garment Following Downhill Running on Running Economy

Abstract

Accumulating evidences suggest that wearing lower-body compression garment (CG) after exercise facilitates recovery of muscular strengths. However, efficacy of wearing CG during post-exercise period on endurance capacity has not been fully determined. PURPOSE: To examine effect of wearing lower-body CG for 24 h following downhill running on running economy. METHODS: Ten male subjects (170.2 ± 4.1 cm, 63.7 ± 4.1 kg, VO2max; 52.4 ± 6.1 ml/kg/min) completed 2 trials, with either wearing lower-body CG or placebo garment (CON) during 24 h of post-exercise period. At least 3 months period was provided between the two trials. The exercise consisted of 30 min of downhill running (slope: -10%) at 70% of VO2max. Time course changes in jump height and score of muscle soreness were evaluated before exercise and during post-exercise period. Blood samples were also collected to determine serum creatine kinase (CK) and hsCRP concentrations. Running economy (RE) was assessed at 24 h following exercise under three different running velocities (70%, 80% and 90% of VO2max). P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: Jump height significantly decreased immediately after exercise in both trials, while the CG trials showed significantly higher values at 24 h following exercise compared with the CON trial (P = 0.0008). Although serum CK and hsCRP concentrations significantly elevated during post-exercise period, the responses were similar between trials. For the RE, no significant difference was observed between two trials. However, there was a relatively large inter-individual variation for efficacy of CG on RE ([INCREMENT]VO2 range: -7.1% to 12.2%), and we have divided all subjects into two different groups [improved RE (n = 5), decreased RE (n = 5)]. No significant difference between the groups was observed for jump performance or score of muscle soreness at 24 h after the exercise, while improved RE group showed significantly higher serum CK and hsCRP concentrations compared with impaired RE group (P = 0.005 for CK, P = 0.04 for hsCRP). CONCLUSION: Wearing lower-body CG during 24 h of post-exercise period did not improve RE. However, relatively large inter-individual variation existed for efficacy of the CG, and wearing CG during post-exercise period might promote recovery of RE under situation with severe muscle damage.