A journal in Sports Science & Medicine by Beliard et al. 2015, recently reviewed current literature (23 studies) to describe the beneficial effects that have been identified with compression garments.“Compression garments on the lower limbs are increasingly popular among athletes who wish to improve performance, reduce exercise-induced discomfort, and reduce the risk of injury. However, the beneficial effects of compression garments have not been clearly established.”
I have used compression garments, but I must admit, I did so without having done any sound research on their effectiveness. I have mainly used it for recovery purposes but many people choose to use them during exercise. Ultimately, we’re all looking for a way to stop that nasty DOMS.
What is DOMS?
Delayed onset muscle soreness, commonly referred to as DOMS, is the pain and stiffness felt in muscles about 24 to 72 hours after excessive or unaccustomed exercise. Essentially the pain is caused by tears in the muscle.
Do they actually work?
From the 23 studies, Beliard et al. 2015 found that, “the effects of wearing compression garments during exercise are controversial as most studies failed to demonstrate a beneficial effect on immediate or performance recovery, or on delayed onset of muscle soreness.”
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M2O Recovery Compression Socks[/caption]
M2O Recovery Compression Socks[/caption]On the bright side, three of the five studies found compression garments worn during recovery had a beneficial effect in reducing DOMS. All five studies showed a beneficial trend in performance recovery when compression garments were worn during recovery.
The jury is still out on whether or not compression garments are beneficial during exercise but there is some evidence to show its benefits in aiding performance recovery and reducing the effects of DOMS when worn during recovery.
Pushys have some great looking compression recovery socks with a variety of different colours to match your preference. Go check them out, and happy recovery!
Reference: Beliard, S., Chauveau, M., Moscatiello, T., Cros, F., Ecarnot, F., & Becker, F. (2015). Compression Garments and Exercise: No Influence of Pressure Applied. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 14(1), 75–83.
By Janine Jungfels - Pushys Sponsored Athlete