Effect of Compression Garments on Exercise Performance Following Acute High Intensity Exercise

Effect of Compression Garments on Exercise Performance Following Acute High Intensity Exercise

To examine the influence of compression garments manufactured with Far-Infrared technology on exercise performance during and after repeated eccentric isokinetic muscle actions of the leg extensors.

Participants: Eighty recreationally active (1-5 hrs per week) healthy participants between the ages of 18 - 35 will visit the Neuromuscular Research Laboratory on 6 separate occasions, with 4 of those occasions also requiring a visit to Health services for a blood draw.

Procedures (methods): During pre-screening, each participant will complete an informed consent document, a health history questionnaire, and have their stature and body mass assessed. A familiarization session will then be conducted on a separate day where all participants will practice the strength assessment, eccentric isokinetic protocol, and ultrasound assessments. Participants will be assigned to 1 of the 4 treatment groups based on their initial maximal isometric strength values using a matched-participants design. The first experimental session will then begin 2-10 days later, where the participants will perform the repeated eccentric exercise protocol (10 sets of 15 eccentric contractions 210 deg/sec with 3 min of rest between sets) with the non-dominant leg following a 60 min rest period where they will wear the apparel and perform a 5 min warm-up on a cycle ergometer. Follow-up blood draws and strength and ultrasound assessments will be obtained at 24 and 48 hours post-exercise. Each participant will also complete a visual analog scale at baseline, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-exercise to examine perceived muscle soreness.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Cohort of Adult Males & Females
• Participant is between the ages of 18-35
• Healthy, Recreationally Active (1-5 hours per week)
• Participant has provided written and dated informed consent to participate in the study
• Participant is apparently healthy and free from disease, as determined by a health history questionnaire
• Participant agrees to abstain from smoking, caffeine (4hrs prior), tobacco (24hrs prior), and alcohol (24 hrs) before testing days
• Participant agrees to abstain from exercise 24 hours prior to each testing visit and after 72 hours of the induced exercise damage
• Participant will refrain from the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and protein supplementation 24 hours before the exercise testing protocol, as well as for the 72 hour period following the exercise testing protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participant is using, or has used one of the following dietary supplements within 12 weeks prior to enrollment: beta-alanine, creatine, taurine, or any supplemental antioxidants (Acai, pomegranate, beet juice).
• Participant is in, or has participated in another clinical trial within 6 weeks prior to enrollment
• Participant has a known allergy or sensitivity to test product (determined from health history questionnaire and consent form)