Study casts doubt on benefits of compression tights
09/06/2017
The research, which was supported by a grant from sportswear manufacturer Nike, revealed that while wearing compression tights greatly reduces the amount the wearer’s muscles vibrate, they don’t have an impact on the level of muscle fatigue compared to running without tights.
Participants in the study were asked to run on a treadmill for 30 minutes at 80% of their maximum speed on two different days, once with compression tights and once without them. The researchers used motion capture technology to closely track each runner’s body position during their sessions. They also tested the participants’ leg strength and jump height before and after each run.
Even though the results call into question the benefits of wearing compression tights when it comes to reducing fatigue in runners, there may be other benefits, explained Ajit Chaudhari, who led the study. He argued that the psychological benefit some runners gain from wearing them is reason enough to continue to use them.
“There is nothing in this study that shows it’s bad to wear compression tights,” he said. “Every little bit of perception counts when running long distances, so they may help runners in ways we aren’t able to measure.”
It is worth noting that the participants in the study ran for only 30 minutes during each session, far less than the average time spent when competing or training in endurance sports, a market in which compression clothing has flourished.
The Wexner Medical Centre will carry out additional research that focuses on other aspects of compression tights and the possible benefits to runners in terms of performance and workout recovery.
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