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 technology from the medical and space industry to provide elite athletes with custom fit medical grade compression that actually works!
But don’t just take our word for it, lets see what the research says about custom fit v off the shelf compression garments:
An independent study showed that wearing custom fit compression garments significantly improved the recovery of isometric strength in Rugby players following an exercise induced muscle damage protocol, compared to a sham treatment or off the shelf sports compression leggings (Brown et al., 2022).
When custom fit compression garments were worn in the recovery period, lower body strength measures were not significantly different to baseline values at 24 and 48 hours, recovering to 95% and 99% of baseline values respectively. In contrast, when off the shelf compression garments were worn, strength recovery was significantly impaired at 24 hours and 48 hours, recovering to only 89% and 90% of baseline values (Brown et al., 2022).
Furthermore, this study showed that custom fit compression garments were the only treatment where recovery returned to baseline values within 48 hours. With off the shelf garments and the sham treatment, recovery was incomplete at 48 hours, showing that off the shelf garments were no more effective than the sham treatment for recovery of lower body strength. In fact, custom fitted garments were still almost 10% better than either off the shelf or sham garments at 48 hours.
It was also shown that creatine kinase levels returned to baseline within 48 hours when custom fit compression garments were worn, whereas levels remained elevated at 48 hours with off the shelf garments (Brown et al. 2022).
It was recommended that athletes seeking to maintain muscle strength after damaging exercise should opt for custom fit compression garments to aid recovery (Brown et al., 2022).
So the research highlights the effectiveness of custom fit garments compared to off the shelf for improving recovery following exercise induced muscle damage. But what do the players and coaches think?
“Our recovery is 20% faster”
(Des O’ Sullivan Strength and Conditioning Coach, Essendon Football Club)
Cape’s custom fit provided our players with specific, medical grade compression that helped our players recover from the demands of both travel and training. The guys absolutely love them.” (Darren Burgess, High Performance Manager, Adelaide Crows, previously Melbourne Demons).
So it’s out with the old and in with the new. Custom fit medical grade compression is the future of compression wear for elite athletes.
REFERENCES:
- Brown, F, Jeffries, O, Gissane, C, Howatson, G, van Someren, K, Pedlar, C, Myers, T, and Hill, JA. (2022): Custom-fitted compression garments enhance recovery from muscle damage in rugby players. 36(1): 212-219.
- Brown, F, Hill, JA., Pedler, CR. (2022). Compression Garments for Recovery from Muscle Damage: Evidence and Implications of Dose Responses. Current Sports Medicine Reports (21 (2); 45-52.
- Hill, J., Howatson, G., Someren, K., Davidson, S., & Pedlar, C. (2015). The variation in pressures exerted by commercially available compression garments. Sports Engineering (Springer Science & Business Media B.V.), 18, 115-121.
- Weakley J, Broatch J, O’Riordan S, Morrison M, Maniar N, Halson SL. Putting the Squeeze on Compression Garments: Current Evidence and Recommendations for Future Research: A Systematic Scoping Review. Sports Med. 2021 Dec 6. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01604-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34870801.
