Ever wondered why your compression garments aren’t working? Standard sized (off the shelf) compression garments are proven to provide variable compression and inconsistent benefits. Custom fit compression is the only way to ensure genuine and consistent benefits for every individual. Click on the video below to see why custom fit compression is so important.
For compression garments to be effective, the compression regime must be accurate. Standard sized (off the shelf) compression garments have generic sizes (S, M, L, XL) and individuals are assigned a size based on their height and weight. Given the differences in body shape and size, it is impossible for every individual to receive optimal compression from off the shelf garments. In a popular commercial compression brand, a medium garment is recommended for individuals ranging from 150cm/65kg all the way to 180cm/85kg. Given such a wide range for a single size, it is not possible to achieve accurate and effective
You may think all compression garments are the same, however there are significant differences between standard sized sports compression garments and custom fit medical grade compression garments. The importance of custom fit For compression garments to be effective, it is important that they fit correctly and apply the optimum compression regimes. If the compression is too low then there will be insufficient pressure to affect blood flow, whereas compression levels that are too high may be restrictive and consequently hinder athlete performance and recovery (Wannop et al., 2016). Sports compression garments are sized on measures of height and body mass,
In the compression world, accuracy matters. CAPE garments are sized to each individual based on a unique 3D scanning process and our patented design system AutoTailor. This provides the highest level of precision compression regimes for every individual, generating genuine and consistent benefits. Furthermore, it’s quick and easy to prescribe, as it only takes 2 minutes for us to scan an athlete. This is why professional sports teams around the world are now choosing CAPE to provide custom fit compression for their athletes. It’s not just athletes that are choosing CAPE. NASA plans to deploy our technology on orbit to understand how
Players may not fully recover between games in such congested seasons, and this may impact performance on the field. Players participating in two or more games per week with less than 4 days recovery are also at greater risk of injury (Alterriba – Bartes et al., 2020). Compression garments are widely used by professional footballers to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery during the competitive season. However, for compression garments to be consistently effective, it’s important that they fit correctly and accurately. Standard fit (off the shelf garments) which are sized on height and weight, have been shown to provide
Fixture congestion in team sports reduces time available for player recovery, increases injury risk and can affect player wellbeing. This can reduce a team’s performance over the course of a season and have significant financial implications. In the days following an intense match, reductions in muscle function, increases in muscle damage, and increases in perceptions of fatigue and muscle soreness have been reported amongst players. Muscle soreness is reported to peak around 24-72 hours post competition, therefore strategies to reduce feelings of muscle soreness can enhance player recovery and readiness to train post match. Compression garments can improve player recovery,
Air travel can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other circulatory problems due to prolonged periods of reduced mobility. Compression garments have been shown to reduce the incidence of DVT, superficial vein thrombosis and oedema during travel (Clarke et al., 2021). Who should use compression garments for travel? Anyone who undertakes frequent travel such as air crew, athletes, business or recreational travellers would be well advised to use compression garments to maintain health whilst flying. Due to intense competition schedules, many elite athletes are required to travel extensively throughout a competitive season. Therefore, adopting strategies to minimise
3D scanning allows us to produce highly accurate and beneficial custom-fit compression garments. Scanning is much faster than traditional measuring tapes, it takes more measurements, it is more accurate, and it has a theatre about it that athletes love. We initially used professional scanning units, but soon developed smaller, cheaper, easier and more deployable technologies based on iPads. Our technology is now recognised as world leading. We were recently requested to demonstrate it to the European Space Agency, and trial two of our scanning technologies at NASA in Houston. NASA plans to deploy our technology on orbit to understand how the body changes
CAPE now offers you more garments! Introducing the new CAPE custom-fit Therapy range, with specific garments for rehabilitation, joint stability, exercise recovery and activity for different muscle groups. New programs of multiple garments and regimes have been developed for optimum Grade 2 and 3 rehabilitation, such as ACL surgery. Using an iPad and our own CAPE app, you can 3D scan your clients and offer medical-grade compression that actually works. Why do Physical Therapists love CAPE? Why do patients love CAPE? For more info on CAPE Therapy, please click here: Contact Us – CAPE Bionics
With the start of the new year, it’s time to rethink compression. Until recently athletes could only choose retail compression, which means that lots of different players are wearing the same size garments. This means the compression is all over the place, and the outcome is a guess. For example, one size in a commercially available brand is suggested to fit athletes ranging from 150-185cm and 65-90kg! Hill et al. (2015) showed considerable variation in the pressure exerted by commercially available compression garments, and it has also been shown that poorly fitting garments have no effect or even
Compression garments have been shown to improve athlete recovery, but what about injury prevention? We take a look into some of the latest research on whether compression garments can play a role in reducing risk of injuries. What do athletes think about compression for injury? In a recent study investigating lower body compression garment use by athletes, over 500 athletes were asked to provide information regarding their reasons for using compression garments and their perceived benefits (Franke et al., 2021). The primary reason that these athletes used compression garments was to prevent reinjury, with 48% of athletes reporting this as
For the past decade, I have worked for Swim England, the National Governing Body for Aquatic sport in England. I was initially employed in the talent development space and more latterly in coach development. Over the past few years, I held the role of Head of Coaching and led the creation of the first strategic plan for aquatics coaching in England. Prior to moving to Swim England, I worked as a swimming and strength and conditioning coach in a private school that ran a scholarship programme for aspiring junior athletes. Swimming was always my passion and whilst I had chosen
Dr Ian McKeown, Vice President of Athlete Performance and Wellness, at the Philadelphia Flyers, always wants to make sure his players feel more prepared than anyone else. “We’re covering all bases with them and this is a great tangible example of us giving each individual exactly what they need.” By using 3D scanned compression, each player receives custom fitted garments which apply accurate compression for proven benefits. Dr McKeown emphasises how important this is to professional athletes. “In professional sport, players are all shapes and sizes, they don’t fit standard sized garments. The players love the custom fit of CAPE,
Compression garments have been widely used by soccer players for many years. We take a look into the demands of the game, competition schedules and how compression garments can assist soccer players with performance, recovery, and busy travel schedules. Demands of professional soccer The physiological demands of a professional soccer match are high. It has been reported that professional soccer players on average cover 10-12 km during a game at various different intensities (Di Salvo et al., 2013). On average, during a high-level soccer game, players engage in physical activities of high intensity every 60 seconds and can perform up
Compression garments work but only if they fit perfectly and apply the correct compression regime. Research has shown that off the shelf compression garments provide variable levels of compression and inconsistent benefits (Hill et al., 2015). Custom fit is the only way to ensure that each athlete receives accurate compression for positive benefits every time. Think of it this way: with standard sized garments, a few athletes may receive positive benefits, but only if by chance the garment fits their body shape and size perfectly. Highly unlikely for most people, especially elite athletes who are not typical shapes and sizes!
CAPE Bionics have revolutionised athletic compression wear by using scientific principles from the design of spacesuits to produce the most advanced compression garments both on and off the planet! The application of Space Science to Sports Science CAPE Bionics founder Dr James Waldie has spent over 20 years researching and designing compression suits for astronauts. He was involved with a number spacesuit programs with MIT, NASA and the European Space Agency, and developed his own skinsuit design which was used on the International Space Station. Space travel places a huge amount of physiological strain on the human body. The weightlessness
Copyright © CAPE Bionics. All Rights Reserved.