Heat dissipating upper body compression garment: Thermoregulatory, cardiovascular, and perceptual responses

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of an upper body compression garment (UBCG) on thermoregulatory responses during cycling in a controlled laboratory thermoneutral environment (~23°C). A secondary aim was to determine the cardiovascular and perceptual responses when wearing the garment.

Sixteen untrained participants (age: 21.3 ± 5.7 years; peak oxygen consumption (VO_2peak): 50.88 ± 8.00 mL/min/kg; mean ± SD) performed 2 cycling trials in a thermoneutral environment (~23°C) wearing either UBCG or control (Con) garment. Testing consisted of a 5-min rest on a cycle ergometer, followed by 4 bouts of cycling for 14-min at ~50%VO_2peak, with 1-min rest between each bout. At the end of these bouts there was 10-min of passive recovery. During the entire protocol rectal temperature (T _rec), skin temperature (T _skin), mean body temperature (T _body), and heat storage (HS) were measured. Heart rate (HR), VO₂, pH, hematocrit (Hct), plasma electrolytes, weight loss (W _loss), and perceptual responses were also measured.

There were no significant differences between garments for T _skin, HS, HR, VO₂, pH, Hct, plasma electrolyte concentration, W _loss, and perceptual responses during the trial. T _rec did not differ between garment conditions during rest, exercise, or recovery although a greater reduction in T _rec wearing UBCG (p = 0.01) was observed during recovery. Lower T _body during recovery was found when wearing UBCG (36.82°C ± 0.30°C vs. 36.99°C ± 0.24°C).

Wearing a UBCG did not benefit thermoregulatory, cardiovascular, and perceptual responses during exercise although it was found to lower T_body during recovery, which suggests that it could be used as a recovery tool after exercise.