Timing Matters: Effectiveness of Compressive Garments on Recovery in Trail Runners.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• The efficacy of compressive garments (CGs) for post-exercise recovery is debated.
• Variability in research findings may stem from differences in garment properties and exercise protocols, especially those involving eccentric muscle actions like downhill running.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of medium compression shorts on recovery after a 26-km trail running race.
• To assess the impact of CGs worn during exercise versus during recovery on physiological and neuromuscular parameters.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-six trail runners were divided into three groups: wearing CGs during the race (RACE), during recovery (REC), or a control (CON).
• Measurements included inflammatory biomarkers (creatine kinase), neuromuscular parameters (maximal voluntary contraction, countermovement jump), and perceptual measures of muscle soreness.
• Assessments were conducted pre-race, immediately post-race (POST-0), and 48 hours post-race (POST-48).

Main Results:

• Both RACE and REC groups exhibited attenuated creatine kinase (CK) increases compared to the control group.
• Only the RACE group showed significant recovery in countermovement jump (CMJ) height from POST-0 to POST-48.
• No other significant differences were observed between groups for the assessed parameters.

Conclusions:

• Attenuated CK increases suggest CGs may reduce muscle microtrauma and enhance metabolic clearance.
• Wearing CGs specifically during the trail race improved CMJ performance at 48 hours post-race.
• Limiting muscle damage during eccentric exercise is critical for promoting neuromuscular recovery in trail runners.