Influence of lower body compression garments on cardiovascular autonomic responses prior to, during and following submaximal cycling exercise

The aim of the current study was to examine the impact of lower body compression garments (CG) on cardiac autonomic control of heart rate (HR) prior to, during and following submaximal exercise.

Thirty (15 males, 15 females) healthy, active adults undertook consecutive 10-min stages of supine rest, moderate-intensity upright cycling and supine recovery while wearing either normal clothing (CONTROL) or normal clothing plus CG tights in a randomised order. Heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were assessed every minute while cardiovascular autonomic responses were assessed during the final 5 min of each stage via HR variability (HRV). The change in HR at 1-min (HRR1) and 2-min (HRR2) post-exercise and the time constant of HR recovery (HR_tau) were assessed as indices of cardiac autonomic reactivation. Differences between variables were assessed via repeated measures ANOVA and corrected pairwise comparisons.

Compared to rest, exercise resulted in a reduction of HRV that was similar for CONTROL and CG. A main effect for condition was identified for one non-linear, long-term HRV variable only with a significantly lower value (61.4 ± 47.8 vs. 67.1 ± 50.2 ms, p < 0.05) for CG compared to CONTROL. Cardiac autonomic reactivation (HRR1, 42.0 ± 16.8 vs. 45.5 ± 13.4 bpm; HRR2, 58.9 ± 10.5 vs. 58.9 ± 8.2 bpm; HR_tau, 63.4 ± 22.3 vs. 65.1 ± 23.0 s, p > 0.05) was comparable for CONTROL and CG.

Lower body CG failed to alter most cardiac autonomic responses during rest, moderate-intensity exercise or recovery. Mechanisms for potential ergogenic benefits of CG remain to be characterised.