Compression Clothing Research Articles

Are compression corsets beneficial for the treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema? New opportunities in physiotherapy treatment - a preliminary report.

IntroductionTreatment of secondary lymphedema still remains an important medical issue. Treatment response is characterized by periodic remission rather than complete recovery. Compression methods currently used as part of complete decongestive therapy vary considerably in efficacy. Manual drainage, bandaging, and compression pumps are ineffective in everyday practice. Positive results have increasingly been reported where compression garments have been used as part of the treatment. This pilot study demonstrates a beneficial effect following the use of compression corsets in the treatment of edema in breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL).MaterialA total of 35 women with BCRL were enrolled. Of these, 29 patients completed the study.MethodsUltrasound (B-mode) was used to evaluate lymphedema in the side of the chest after mastectomy. This test was performed three times at a specific site on the operated side and symmetrically on the opposite side. Subsequently, patients were fit with an appropriate compression corset. The data were then statistically analyzed.ConclusionAfter the surgical treatment of breast cancer, lymphatic fluid reservoirs may form at the side of the chest. The use of carefully selected compression corsets is an effective treatment for BCRL. Corsets are an important item, which we recommend should be included in compression clothing sets. We anticipate this finding will form the foundation for further work on the use of modern compression garments for the treatment of BCRL as well as contribute to the limited number of published reports that exist on the subject.

Confounding compression: the effects of posture, sizing and garment type on measured interface pressure in sports compression clothing

The purpose of this investigation was to measure the interface pressure exerted by lower body sports compression garments, in order to assess the effect of garment type, size and posture in athletes. Twelve national-level boxers were fitted with sports compression garments (tights and leggings), each in three different sizes (undersized, recommended size and oversized). Interface pressure was assessed across six landmarks on the lower limb (ranging from medial malleolus to upper thigh) as athletes assumed sitting, standing and supine postures. Sports compression leggings exerted a significantly higher mean pressure than sports compression tights (P < 0.001). Oversized tights applied significantly less pressure than manufacturer-recommended size or undersized tights (P < 0.001), yet no significant differences were apparent between different-sized leggings. Standing posture resulted in significantly higher mean pressure application than a seated posture for both tights and leggings (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). Pressure was different across landmarks, with analyses revealing a pressure profile that was neither strictly graduated nor progressive in nature. The pressure applied by sports compression garments is significantly affected by garment type, size and posture assumed by the wearer.

Compression Stockings and Aerobic Exercise: A Meta-Analysis

The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis to determine if wearing compression clothing affects athletic performance by increasing endurance and aerobic capacity as measured by improvements in both VO₂ max and heart rate. Studies were found by using the search engines Google and Galileo, and by using search terms such as “compression garments and their effect on performance.” Only studies that examined compression clothing and its effect on endurance and aerobic capacity were used. Of the four studies, only one study concluded that compression clothing does improve performance (P<0.05), whereas the other three found that compression clothing were highly effective with reducing delayed on-set muscle soreness (P=0.05) and/or leg edema when wearing compression stockings (effect sizes = 0.00-0.65). All studies were performed on recreational to well-trained athletes. In conclusion, compression clothing may be more physiological than physical for improving endurance.

Evaluating the Kikuhime pressure monitor for use with sports compression clothing

Reporting accurate and reliable measures of pressure exerted by sport compression clothing assists in the interpretation and comparison of study findings. The objective of the current study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Kikuhime pressure monitoring device to measure the pressure of sport compression garments. To assess validity, three separate Kikuhime sensors were compared to known pressures inside a water column, at 5 mmHg increments ranging from 5 to 100 mmHg. Intra- and inter-tester reliability was determined by comparing the results of two individuals performing five interface pressure measures at six different landmarks across the lower and upper leg of an athlete wearing sports compression leggings. All three sensors tested exhibited a very high intra-class correlation with the reference value (mean ICC = 0.996). The typical error of measurement was low for both intra- and inter-tester reliability (mean ± SD: 1.3 ± 0.9 and 1.8 ± 0.9 mmHg, respectively). These results expressed as a coefficient of variation were 4.9 ± 2.4 and 7.4 ± 5.4 %, respectively. The findings from the current study suggest that the Kikuhime device is a valid and reliable instrument for use in situ when measuring the pressure of sports compression garments in athletes assuming a static standing posture. The instrument could be used in future research involving compression garments to accurately quantify interface pressures and their subsequent effect on physiological and/or performance measures.

Squeezing the Muscle: Compression Clothing and Muscle Metabolism during Recovery from High Intensity Exercise

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate skeletal muscle blood flow and glucose uptake in m. biceps (BF) and m. quadriceps femoris (QF) 1) during recovery from high intensity cycle exercise, and 2) while wearing a compression short applying ∼37 mmHg to the thigh muscles. Blood flow and glucose uptake were measured in the compressed and non-compressed leg of 6 healthy men by using positron emission tomography. At baseline blood flow in QF (P = 0.79) and BF (P = 0.90) did not differ between the compressed and the non-compressed leg. During recovery muscle blood flow was higher compared to baseline in both compressed (P<0.01) and non-compressed QF (P<0.001) but not in compressed (P = 0.41) and non-compressed BF (P = 0.05; effect size = 2.74). During recovery blood flow was lower in compressed QF (P<0.01) but not in BF (P = 0.26) compared to the non-compressed muscles. During baseline and recovery no differences in blood flow were detected between the superficial and deep parts of QF in both, compressed (baseline P = 0.79; recovery P = 0.68) and non-compressed leg (baseline P = 0.64; recovery P = 0.06). During recovery glucose uptake was higher in QF compared to BF in both conditions (P<0.01) with no difference between the compressed and non-compressed thigh. Glucose uptake was higher in the deep compared to the superficial parts of QF (compression leg P = 0.02). These results demonstrate that wearing compression shorts with ∼37 mmHg of external pressure reduces blood flow both in the deep and superficial regions of muscle tissue during recovery from high intensity exercise but does not affect glucose uptake in BF and QF.

Effect of Lower-Limb Compression Clothing on 400-m Sprint Performance

This study investigated the effects of wearing a variety of lower-limb compression garments on 400-m sprint performance. Eleven 400-m male runners (23.7 ± 5.7 years, 1.78 ± 0.08 m, and 75.3 ± 10.0 kg) completed six, 400-m running tests on an outdoor, all-weather running track on separate occasions. The participants completed 2 runs with long-length lower-limb compression garments (LG; hip-to-ankle), a combination of short-length lower-limb compression garments (SG; hip-to-knee) with calf compression sleeves (ankle-to-knee), or without compression garments (CON; shorts), in a randomized, counterbalanced order. Overall lap time and 100-m split times, heart rate, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs) were measured during the 400-m run. Blood lactate concentration, visual analogue scales for perceived soreness, feeling and arousal, and scales for perceived comfort and tightness when wearing compression garments, were assessed before (preexercise, post-warm-up) and after 400-m performance (post, 4 minutes postexercise, after a warm-down). Statistical analysis revealed no differences between conditions in overall 400-m performance, 100-m split times, or blood lactate concentration (p > 0.05), although there was a trend for an increased rate of blood lactate clearance when wearing compression garments. A significantly lower RPE (p > 0.05) was however observed during LG (13.8 ± 0.9) and SG (13.4 ± 1.1) when compared with CON (14.0 ± 1.0). This study has demonstrated that lower-limb compression garments may lower the effort perception associated with 400-m performance, despite there being no differences in overall athletic performance.

Bringing Light into the Dark: Effects of Compression Clothing on Performance and Recovery

To assess original research addressing the effect of the application of compression clothing on sport performance and recovery after exercise, a computer-based literature research was performed in July 2011 using the electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. Studies examining the effect of compression clothing on endurance, strength and power, motor control, and physiological, psychological, and biomechanical parameters during or after exercise were included, and means and measures of variability of the outcome measures were recorded to estimate the effect size (Hedges g) and associated 95% confidence intervals for comparisons of experimental (compression) and control trials (noncompression). The characteristics of the compression clothing, participants, and study design were also extracted. The original research from peer-reviewed journals was examined using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. Results indicated small effect sizes for the application of compression clothing during exercise for short-duration sprints (10-60 m), vertical-jump height, extending time to exhaustion (such as running at VO2max or during incremental tests), and time-trial performance (3-60 min). When compression clothing was applied for recovery purposes after exercise, small to moderate effect sizes were observed in recovery of maximal strength and power, especially vertical-jump exercise; reductions in muscle swelling and perceived muscle pain; blood lactate removal; and increases in body temperature. These results suggest that the application of compression clothing may assist athletic performance and recovery in given situations with consideration of the effects magnitude and practical relevance.

압박의류 착용에 의한 신체변화 연구

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of compression clothing on the body shape of the human subjects. Thirty seven healthy females being overweighted with local adiposity on the buttocks and legs between the ages of 20's to 50's were used as the human subjects for the study. The selected subjects wore the compression clothing during 60 days by 8 hours a day. At the start(T0), after 30(T30) and after 60 days of treatment(T60), a cutaneous echography was measured on the right trochanter area of each volunteer in order to assess the thickness of the subcutaneous fatty tissue. At the start(T0), after 30(T30) and after 60 days of treatment(T60), the body weight of each volunteer was taken and the instrumental variations of skinfold measurements of the abdominal fold and inner thigh circumference of the waist, hips and thigh were conducted. The results show that the echography and weight loss of subjects were reduced to 8.34% and 2.08% after 60 days, respectively. Moreover, the skinfold of subjects was also reduced. Finally, skin elastometry of subjects increased.

Lower limb compression garment improves recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in young, active females

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of lower limb compression as a recovery strategy following exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Seventeen female volunteers completed 10 x 10 plyometric drop jumps from a 0.6-m box to induce muscle damage. Participants were randomly allocated to a passive recovery (n = 9) or a compression treatment (n = 8) group. Treatment group volunteers wore full leg compression stockings for 12 h immediately following damaging exercise. Passive recovery group participants had no intervention. Indirect indices of muscle damage (muscle soreness, creatine kinase activity, knee extensor concentric strength, and vertical jump performance) were assessed prior to and 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h following plyometric exercise. Plyometric exercise had a significant effect (p < or = 0.05) on all indices of muscle damage. The compression treatment reduced decrements in countermovement jump performance (passive recovery 88.1 +/- 2.8% vs. treatment 95.2 +/- 2.9% of pre-exercise), squat jump performance (82.3 +/- 1.9% vs. 94.5 +/- 2%), and knee extensor strength loss (81.6 +/- 3% vs. 93 +/- 3.2%), and reduced muscle soreness (4.0 +/- 0.23 vs. 2.4 +/- 0.24), but had no significant effect on creatine kinase activity. The results indicate that compression clothing is an effective recovery strategy following exercise-induced muscle damage.

Different types of compression clothing do not increase sub-maximal and maximal endurance performance in well-trained athletes

Three textiles with increasing compressive surface were compared with non-compressive conventional clothing on physiological and perceptual variables during sub-maximal and maximal running. Fifteen well-trained endurance athletes (mean ± s: age 27.1 ± 4.8 years, [Vdot]O2max 63.7 ± 4.9 ml · min−1 · kg−1) performed four sub-maximal (∼70%[Vdot]O2max) and maximal tests with and without different compression stockings, tights, and whole-body compression suits. Arterial lactate concentration, oxygen saturation and partial pressure, pH, oxygen uptake, and ratings of muscle soreness were recorded before, during, and after all tests. In addition, we assessed time to exhaustion. Sub-maximal (P = 0.22) and maximal oxygen uptake (P = 0.26), arterial lactate concentration (P = 0.16; 0.20), pH (P = 0.23; 0.46), oxygen saturation (P = 0.13; 0.26), and oxygen partial pressure (P = 0.09; 0.20) did not differ between the types of clothing (effect sizes = 0.00–0.45). Ratings of perceived exertion (P = 0.10; 0.15), muscle soreness (P = 0.09; 0.10) and time to exhaustion (P = 0.16) were also unaffected by the different clothing (effect sizes = 0.28–0.85). This was the first study to evaluate the effect on endurance performance of different types of compression clothing with increasing amounts of compressive surface. Overall, there were no performance benefits when using the compression garments.

The Effects of Compression clothing on the Energy expenditure, Oxygen consumption, Blood velocity and Blood lipids in Matial art athletes

The Effects of Compression clothing on the Energy expenditure, Oxygen consumption, Blood velocity and Blood lipids in Matial art athletes

Compression Garments And Exercise - The Effect Of Three Different Garments On Endurance Capacity

INTRODUCTION: Compression stockings have become common among endurance athletes in long lasting events such as marathon or ironman triathlon. Several studies examining their effects on exercise as well as recovery indicate a possible performance enhancing influence. Until today the majority of these studies focus on the effects when wearing stockings. Until today no study has investigated the effect on performance and related physiological variables when increasing the amount of compressive area onto the body. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of three different compression garments on endurance performance and related physiological and psychological variables compared to non compressive textiles. METHODS: 14 male well-trained endurance athletes (age: 27,1±4,8 yrs, height: 183,1±7,6 cm, weight: 76,3±7,6 kg, VO2peak: 63,7±4,9 mL·kg·min-1) performed four maximal endurance tests (TLim) on a treadmill under laboratory conditions. On four occasions, all subjects randomly wore textile with different compressive surface: 1. regular non compressive running gear, 2. compression socks, 3. compression tights and 4. whole body compression (tight&top). During each test TLim, lactic acid concentration (LAC), oxygen uptake (VO2), blood gas analysis (BGA), perceived muscle soreness and changes in general perception were measured. RESULTS: Neither time to exhaustion (TLim), nor physiological variables (VO2, LAC, BGA) were changed under compression clothing. These results are supported by the psychological data revealing no statistical differences (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: For the first time the effects of increasing the amount of compressive surface vs non compression on endurance capacity was evaluated. The results of this study revealed no beneficial effects neither on endurance performance nor on performance affecting variables like VO2 or LAC when wearing compressive textile.

Improvements on a design of girdle by using cardiac output and pressure sensation.

To improve the design of the girdle which was a type of compression clothing, two kinds of experiments were carried out. At first, the degree of blood disturbance from wearing the girdles was evaluated by the cardiac output (Q). Q was significantly decreased with normal and small sized girdle was not significant. The practical clothing pressure was the positions with small sized girdle was not significant. The practical clothing pressure was the highest at the groin. Therefore, the relationship between the pressure applied to the groin by the cuff and Q was investigated. Q decreased linearly with an increase in pressure. The estimated minimum pressure required in maintaining the blood circulation was 14.1 mmH. To restrain the clothing pressure below that value, the form and material of the form and material of the bandage attached to the groin were designed and then 4 types of trial models were made. The designed bandage, as compared with that of ready-made, has a large form of stretchable material and its length in contact with the groin line was long. Q did not decrease by wearing one of them at supine position and at supine position after the sitting position. Furthermore, subjective discomfort also decreased.