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Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?

Introduction: Despite the lack of scientific knowledge on the physiological and biomechanical effects of wearing compression garments, there has been an increase in the use of these garments in endurance running. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance, pain and thigh circumference...

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Main Author: Kabongo, Ken
Other Authors: Bosch, Andrew
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine 2022
Subjects:
Exercise and Sports Physiotherapy
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access_status_str Open Access
author Kabongo, Ken
author2 Bosch, Andrew
author_browse Bosch, Andrew
Kabongo, Ken
author_facet Bosch, Andrew
Kabongo, Ken
author_sort Kabongo, Ken
collection Thesis
description Introduction: Despite the lack of scientific knowledge on the physiological and biomechanical effects of wearing compression garments, there has been an increase in the use of these garments in endurance running. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance, pain and thigh circumference changes in endurance runners using upper leg compression garments while competing against runners who did not use compression garments in the same marathon race. Methods: A randomised controlled intervention study was conducted in endurance runners (n=18) participating in the 2019 Winelands Marathon (42.2km). The compression garment group (n=10) participated in the race wearing upper leg compression garments while the control group (n=8) did not. Participants in the compression garment group only wore the compression garments during the marathon. Various outcome measures of perceived exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and running performance were assessed three days before, immediately post-race and two days post-race. Three days prior to the race, mid-thigh circumference measurements were performed. Immediately post-race, mid-thigh circumference measurements, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain ratings and Likert scale for determination of muscle soreness were assessed and race performance times were recorded. Two days post-race, mid-thigh circumference measurements, VAS pain rating and Likert scale for determination of muscle soreness were repeated. Results: VAS pain ratings for hamstring (compression garment 2.50 vs control group 4.00) (p=0.04), knee flexion (compression garment 2.50 vs control group 5.00) (p=0.02) and hip extension (compression garment 2.50 vs control group 4.00) (p=0.04) had a statistically significant difference between the compression garment and control group immediately post-race. VAS pain ratings for hamstring (compression garment 0.00 vs control group 1.00) (p=0.04), knee flexion (compression garment 1.00 vs control group 2.00) (p=0.02) and hip extension (compression garment 1.00 vs control group 2.50) (p=0.04) had a statistically significant difference between the compression garment and control group two days post-race. There were no statistically significant differences in any other outcome measures (i.e. Likert scale for determination of muscle soreness, mid-thigh circumference and race performance) between the compression garment and control group. Conclusion: The use of upper leg compression garments is a recovery ergogenic aid which improves VAS pain ratings post-race. The results suggest that upper leg compression garments have a protective effect on the hamstring muscle in runners in the recovery phase. However, since a runner would be in a recovery phase after a marathon, a minor difference would be of little practical advantage since, importantly, there was no statistically significant differences in race performance and thigh circumference measures.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:49:33.852Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2022
publishDateRange 2022
publishDateSort 2022
publisher Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine
publisherStr Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/36852 Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)? Kabongo, Ken Bosch, Andrew Exercise and Sports Physiotherapy Introduction: Despite the lack of scientific knowledge on the physiological and biomechanical effects of wearing compression garments, there has been an increase in the use of these garments in endurance running. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance, pain and thigh circumference changes in endurance runners using upper leg compression garments while competing against runners who did not use compression garments in the same marathon race. Methods: A randomised controlled intervention study was conducted in endurance runners (n=18) participating in the 2019 Winelands Marathon (42.2km). The compression garment group (n=10) participated in the race wearing upper leg compression garments while the control group (n=8) did not. Participants in the compression garment group only wore the compression garments during the marathon. Various outcome measures of perceived exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and running performance were assessed three days before, immediately post-race and two days post-race. Three days prior to the race, mid-thigh circumference measurements were performed. Immediately post-race, mid-thigh circumference measurements, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain ratings and Likert scale for determination of muscle soreness were assessed and race performance times were recorded. Two days post-race, mid-thigh circumference measurements, VAS pain rating and Likert scale for determination of muscle soreness were repeated. Results: VAS pain ratings for hamstring (compression garment 2.50 vs control group 4.00) (p=0.04), knee flexion (compression garment 2.50 vs control group 5.00) (p=0.02) and hip extension (compression garment 2.50 vs control group 4.00) (p=0.04) had a statistically significant difference between the compression garment and control group immediately post-race. VAS pain ratings for hamstring (compression garment 0.00 vs control group 1.00) (p=0.04), knee flexion (compression garment 1.00 vs control group 2.00) (p=0.02) and hip extension (compression garment 1.00 vs control group 2.50) (p=0.04) had a statistically significant difference between the compression garment and control group two days post-race. There were no statistically significant differences in any other outcome measures (i.e. Likert scale for determination of muscle soreness, mid-thigh circumference and race performance) between the compression garment and control group. Conclusion: The use of upper leg compression garments is a recovery ergogenic aid which improves VAS pain ratings post-race. The results suggest that upper leg compression garments have a protective effect on the hamstring muscle in runners in the recovery phase. However, since a runner would be in a recovery phase after a marathon, a minor difference would be of little practical advantage since, importantly, there was no statistically significant differences in race performance and thigh circumference measures. 2022-10-21T11:40:23Z 2022-10-21T11:40:23Z 2021 2022-10-21T06:50:19Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36852 eng application/pdf Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences
spellingShingle Exercise and Sports Physiotherapy
Kabongo, Ken
Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?
title_full Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?
title_fullStr Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?
title_full_unstemmed Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?
title_short Does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post-race Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?
title_sort does the use of upper leg compression garments aid performance and reduce post race delayed onset muscle soreness doms
topic Exercise and Sports Physiotherapy
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36852
work_keys_str_mv AT kabongoken doestheuseofupperlegcompressiongarmentsaidperformanceandreducepostracedelayedonsetmusclesorenessdoms

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