How does Compression Clothing Work
Compression clothing works by squeezing blood vessels causes them to open forcefully, which allows more blood and oxygen into the compressed muscle and helps shunt waste. This increases the working muscles capacity to produce energy and allows the wearer to run faster. The clothing also contains the muscle to reduce vibration, minimising damage and overall fatigue during exercise to enhance output. Compression clothing can increase recovery by creating extra blood flow, wearing compression clothing after exercise is purported to expedite the removal of metabolic waste and re-introduce the substances muscles require to rebuild.
Where was Compression Clothing Invented
Originally compression clothing was used over 60 years ago in the United States to treat patients suffering from venous disorders such as deep-vein thrombosis, these patients were given compression treatment for the first time, the aim being to enhance circulation, reduce blood pooling and increase deep-tissue oxygenation. Compression has also been shown to achieve positive results in individuals with blood clotting, chronic swelling and lymphedema. Three decades later and researchers turned their attention to whether compression could help athletes receive the same circulatory benefits as patients. Study results published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine in 1987 showed that after intense exercise, athletes who wore compression socks exhibited lower blood-lactate levels. These were the first studies done to see the effect of compression on athletes.
Does the Technology significantly improve performance
Compression clothing can improve performance and reduce the risks of injury. Compression clothing may not provide the drastic improvements to performance but in track and field and improvement is drastic, fractions of seconds can be the difference between a gold medal and a silver medal. Although compression clothing doesn't drastically improve to performance it does significantly reduce recovery time, which in a way is more important than giving instant performance. Compression clothing can help improve the amount of training load an athlete takes part in and ultimately allow the athlete to train more giving an even more drastic improvement in performance.
How wide spread is Compression Clothing
Compression clothing is a common sight at athletics meets of any standard, compression clothing is so common and widely used in around the world in modern day exercise its harder to not see compression clothing then it is to see normal exercise clothing. Compression clothing has become a general used within the exercising world that the clothing is so relatively available with almost every sports store now selling compression gear it is even easier to obtain. Compression gear is widely used in Australia but is used more often in countries which tend to be colder because the effect of the compression is significantly stronger by keeping the muscle warmer in the cold climate
When is Compression Clothing used
Compression gear is mainly used for recovery more than performance. Athletes tend to use compression gear while warming up for events to keep the muscle warm throughout the whole process. Athletes do use compression gear while competing however the effects are not as significant because usually the event does not last long enough for the garment to take full effect, but during long events over 3000m compression can give significant results.