Athletes - CAPE Bionics

Compression garments for running, why is custom fit so important?

July 4, 2022

Compression garments have been worn by runners for many years but what does the research say about compression garments for running performance and recovery and why is custom fit so important? Benefits of compression for running Research has shown that compression garments can have a positive effect on markers of athletic performance and recovery. A systematic review of 32 studies into the effects of compression clothing on running performance and recovery showed that runners may improve variables related to endurance performance when compression garments are worn (Engel et al., 2016). This is due to improvements in running economy, biomechanical

Custom Fit – The New World of Compression Part 3 – Professional Compression for Professional Athletes

May 9, 2022

In our previous blogs we’ve introduced a new world of custom fit compression, highlighting differences between custom fit and standard sized compression garments in terms of the level of compression applied (Hill et al., 2015), and the proven recovery benefits of custom fit compared to off the shelf compression garments or no compression (Brown et al., 2022). So why should professional athletes choose custom fit compression? Professional athletes deserve professional compression, that is compression that actually works! Professional athletes are required to perform at their best, hence the need to get the most out of their compression garments. Standard

Custom Fit – The New World of Compression Part 2: Accurate compression with custom fit, variable pressure with standard sized garments

April 26, 2022

Research has shown that custom fit compression results in faster recovery than standard sized (off the shelf) compression garments (Brown et al., 2022a). Why? For compression garments to work they must fit correctly and have the correct amount of pressure applied. Custom fit based on a 3D scan, is the only way to achieve perfect fit and accurate compression for every athlete. With standard sized compression garments, athletes are sized to garments based on measures of height and weight, meaning that athletes of all different shapes and sizes are fitted to the same sized garment. It’s impossible for all athletes

Custom Fit Compression – The new world of sports compression that actually works!

March 30, 2022

Compression works, but only if garments fit correctly and apply optimal compression regimes. Introducing custom fit compression, the new world of medical grade compression for elite athletes with proven benefits! If you think compression doesn’t work, then you’re thinking about standard sized (off the shelf) compression garments. These garments are sized generically, have been shown to have variable levels of compression (Hill et al., 2016) and therefore inconsistent benefits (Weakley et al. 2021). How can these garments possibly optimise recovery and performance of elite athletes? Quite simply they don’t! This is why scientists at Cape Bionics have applied leading edge

Why AFL teams choose CAPE Compression Garments

February 23, 2022

With the start of the AFL season just a few weeks away, we look into the benefits of CAPE custom fit compression for AFL players, and how players have been using CAPE garments over the past few seasons. We also hear what AFL High Performance Managers and coaches have to say about CAPE compression. The importance of custom fit for AFL players Within an AFL team, there are players of all different shapes and sizes. Ensuring each player receives the optimum level of compression requires the garments to be custom fitted to each individual player. Off the shelf compression

CAPE V Off the Shelf Compression brands – What’s the difference?

February 8, 2022

CAPE are more than just another compression brand. CAPE garments are medical grade compression garments custom fitted to each individual based on a 3D scan. This ensures that elite athletes are provided with professional compression garments that actually work! CAPE Bionics Other compression brands Medical grade compression – TGA class 1 medical device. Not medical grade compression. Sized based on a 3D scan of each athlete. Generic sizing based on measures of height and weight. Customised to each individual athlete – One size garment fits one athlete. Athletes from a large range of height and weight are assigned the same

New Year – Time to rethink compression!

January 6, 2022

With the start of the new year, it’s a good time to consider whether you are getting the most of out of your compression garments. Athletes have been using compression garments for many years to optimise recovery and performance. Until recently the only options available to athletes were commercially available, off the shelf garments, sized based on height and weight. These garments are not made to specifically fit each individual athlete. For example, one size in a commercially available brand is suggested to fit athletes ranging from 150-185cm and 65-90kg! With such a large size range, it is impossible

Compression Garments for Team Sports – What, When and How?

December 19, 2021

Compression garments have been used by team sport athletes for many years to improve recovery and enhance performance. We take a look into the what, when and how of compression garments for team sport athletes. What garment type, size and compression regime is most effective? Garment Type Research has reported beneficial effects on recovery with various types of compression garments including calf sleeves, tights, shorts, and arms sleeves. A recent study with junior elite basketball players showed that all garment types (shorts, socks, tights) improved venous return, muscle blood flow and muscle oxygenation with full length tights being the most

With the start of the NBA season approaching, we look into the benefits of customised compression

October 15, 2021

Physiological and recovery demands of NBA competition The sport of basketball involves repeated bouts of high intensity exercise with explosive activity such as sprints, jumps, accelerations, decelerations, and rapid change of direction (Calleja-Gonzalez et al., 2016). The NBA is considered the highest level of basketball performance globally. NBA players are often required to play consecutive matches with limited time for recovery between games. The NBA competition schedule involves 82 regular season games between October and April, and playoffs between April and June. Each team plays on average three games per week (McLean et al., 2019), and sometimes as many as

Dr Annette Eastwood caught up with PhD Scholar Shane O’Riordan to discuss research in compression

October 1, 2021

CAPE Physiologist Dr Annette Eastwood caught up with Shane O’Riordan to discuss his research in compression. Shane who is originally from Ireland, has spent the last 3 years as a PhD Scholar at the Australian Institute of Sport / Victoria University, researching the benefits of compression for elite athletes. Prior to his PhD Scholarship at the AIS, Shane spent time working at Central Michigan University and also High Performance Sport New Zealand. AE: What sparked your interest in compression and your desire to research this for your PhD? Whilst at Central Michigan University in the USA, I was working

The Benefits of Custom Fit Compression Garments for Paralympic Athletes

August 27, 2021

With the Paralympic Games underway, we look at the research into the benefits of compression garments for Para athletes and discuss the advantages of custom fit compression garments for these athletes. Compression garments are widely used by athletes as a way to improve performance and recovery and minimise the negative effects of travel. Extensive research has been conducted with able bodied athletes and a few key studies have focused on the effects of compression garments specifically for Para athletes. The circulatory benefits of compression such as improved venous return, an increase in stroke volume and cardiac output can have benefits

How Space-focussed and Terrestrial-focussed crossover with customised compression wear. Part 2.

August 19, 2021

Wearing a compression garment is a bit like getting a localised, encapsulating hug from an item of clothing! But how tight should that ‘hug’ be? Well, it turns out that pressure measurement underpins the science of solving that puzzle… Direct pressure measurement Direct pressure measurements typically involve placing some form of force or pressure sensor between the compression garment and the surface of the wearer’s skin (in the case of on-the-body measurements), or between the compression garment and the surface of the replica/model body or body part (in the case of off-the-body measurements); see Figure 1. In this way, we

How Space-focussed and Terrestrial-focussed crossover with customised compression wear. Part 1.

August 10, 2021

Wearing a compression garment is a bit like getting a localised, encapsulating hug from an item of clothing! But how tight should that ‘hug’ be? Well, it turns out that pressure measurement underpins the science of solving that puzzle… Pictured above: Andreas Mogensen in the SkinSuit. Image Credit: European Space Agency There are various end-uses for compression garments, including sport, therapeutic medicine, and even future spacesuits. While the context of use and functional purposes of these ‘garment’ types are varied, they all share a common aspect in that they apply a force (in Newtons) directly to the surface of the

How can Olympic athletes benefit from compression garments?

July 29, 2021

With the Tokyo Olympics underway, it’s an ideal time to look at how Olympic athletes can benefit from compression garments. Compression garments are widely used by elite athletes for performance, recovery, travel, and rehabilitation. In a survey of 236 elite Australian representative athletes, which included 42 Olympians and 26 Paralympians from the London Olympic Games, it was reported that the majority of athletes perceived a benefit from wearing compression garments. Athletes reported wearing compression garments both during exercise and for post-exercise recovery 1-3 times per week. The most common duration for wearing garments was 1-4 hours post training and 71%

Why CAPE Garments are Better than Pneumatic Compression Devices

July 22, 2021

Inflatable compression boots and arm sleeves have become a popular tool amongst athletes for improving recovery but what does the science tell us about their effectiveness? The use of compression originated in the medical industry as a way of treating burns and vascular conditions. Due to the associated physiological benefits of compression, athletes have been using static compression garments to improve recovery by increasing venous return, reducing oedema and reducing muscle soreness. More recently the use of inflatable compression boots and sleeves have become popular and are perceived to be beneficial for athletic recovery. These devices use intermittent pneumatic compression

Dr Annette Eastwood, Sports Physiologist and Ultra-endurance athlete!

July 18, 2021

Our Sports Physiologist Dr Annette Eastwood has worked with hundreds of elite and Olympic athletes, but she is also an ultra endurance triathlete who recently competed at Ultraman Australia. CAPE CEO Dr. James Waldie recently caught up with Annette to discuss how CAPE compression garments have assisted her with her training and racing over the last few months. JW: Firstly what is Ultraman Triathlon? AE: Ultraman is a 3 day triathlon comprised of a 10km swim, 420km bike and 84km run. It is broken up over the three days (Day 1 – 10km swim and 145km bike, Day 2 –

Category: Athletes