The Effect of Wearing a Lower Body Compression Garment on Anaerobic Exercise Performance in Division I NCAA Basketball Players

Recovery Methods in Basketball: A Systematic Review

Although different strategies have been implemented to manage recovery-fatigue status in athletes, there is still a lack of consensus on which recovery protocols have the greatest impact and effectiveness when implemented with basketball players, including both physiological and psychological recovery methods. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review is to: (a) determine which recovery methods attain the greatest benefit in restoring the process of attenuating fatigue and (b) provide sports practitioners with guidelines on how some of the most effective recovery strategies can be used to optimize athletes' recovery and ultimately enhance their performance. Using the PRISMA guidelines, a total of 3931 research reports were obtained through four database searches (i.e., PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science), from which only 25 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The recovery protocols analyzed in this systematic review were: sleep, nutrition, hydration, ergogenic aids, cold-water immersion, compression garments, massage, acupuncture, tapering, mindfulness, and red-light irradiation. The results revealed that all recovery strategies are capable of attenuating fatigue and enhancing recovery in basketball players to a certain degree. However, an individualized approach should be promoted, where a combination of proactive recovery modalities appears to result in the most rapid rates of recovery and athletes' ability to maintain high-level performance. Recovery should be programmed as an integral component of training regimens. Also, cooperation and communication between coaches, players, and the rest of the team staff members are essential in minimizing the risk of non-functional overreaching or injury and optimizing basketball players' on-court performance.

Do Sports Compression Garments Alter Measures of Peripheral Blood Flow? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

One of the proposed mechanisms underlying the benefits of sports compression garments may be alterations in peripheral blood flow.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine if sports compression garments alter measures of peripheral blood flow at rest, as well as during, immediately after and in recovery from a physiological challenge (i.e. exercise or an orthostatic challenge).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search of databases including Scopus, SPORTDiscus and PubMed/MEDLINE. The criteria for inclusion of studies were: (1) original papers in English and a peer-reviewed journal; (2) assessed effect of compression garments on a measure of peripheral blood flow at rest and/or before, during or after a physiological challenge; (3) participants were healthy and without cardiovascular or metabolic disorders; and (4) a study population including athletes and physically active or healthy participants. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used. Changes in blood flow were quantified by standardised mean difference (SMD) [± 95% confidence interval (CI)].

RESULTS

Of the 899 articles identified, 22 studies were included for the meta-analysis. The results indicated sports compression garments improve overall peripheral blood flow (SMD = 0.32, 95% CI 0.13, 0.51, p = 0.001), venous blood flow (SMD = 0.37, 95% CI 0.14, 0.60, p = 0.002) and arterial blood flow (SMD = 0.30, 95% CI 0.01, 0.59, p = 0.04). At rest, sports compression garments did not improve peripheral blood flow (SMD = 0.18, 95% CI - 0.02, 0.39, p = 0.08). However, subgroup analyses revealed sports compression garments enhance venous (SMD = 0.31 95% CI 0.02, 0.60, p = 0.03), but not arterial (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI - 0.16, 0.40, p = 0.16), blood flow. During a physiological challenge, peripheral blood flow was improved (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI 0.19, 0.69, p = 0.0007), with subgroup analyses revealing sports compression garments enhance venous (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI 0.11, 0.85, p = 0.01) and arterial blood flow (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI 0.03, 0.86, p = 0.04). At immediately after a physiological challenge, there were no changes in peripheral blood flow (SMD = - 0.04, 95% CI - 0.43, 0.34, p = 0.82) or subgroup analyses of venous (SMD = - 0.41, 95% CI - 1.32, 0.47, p = 0.35) and arterial (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI - 0.26, 0.51, p = 0.53) blood flow. In recovery, sports compression garments did not improve peripheral blood flow (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI - 0.45, 0.95, p = 0.49). The subgroup analyses showed enhanced venous (SMD = 0.67, 95% CI 0.17, 1.17, p = 0.009), but not arterial blood flow (SMD = 0.02, 95% CI - 1.06, 1.09, p = 0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of sports compression garments enhances venous blood flow at rest, during and in recovery from, but not immediately after, a physiological challenge. Compression-induced changes in arterial blood flow were only evident during a physiological challenge.

Effects of Forearm Compression Sleeves on Muscle Hemodynamics and Muscular Strength and Endurance Parameters in Sports Climbing: A Randomized, Controlled Crossover Trial

Purpose: Wearing compression garments is a commonly used intervention in sports to improve performance and facilitate recovery. Some evidence supports the use of forearm compression to improve muscle tissue oxygenation and enhance sports climbing performance. However, evidence is lacking for an effect of compression garments on hand grip strength and specific sports climbing performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate effects of forearm compression sleeves on muscular strength and endurance of finger flexor muscles in sports climbers.

Materials and Methods: This randomized crossover study included 24 sports climbers who performed one familiarization trial and three subsequent test trials while wearing compression forearm sleeves (COMP), non-compressive placebo forearm sleeves (PLAC), or no forearm sleeves (CON). Test trials consisted of three performance measurements (intermittent hand grip strength and endurance measurements, finger hang, and lap climbing) at intervals of at least 48 h in a randomized order. Muscle oxygenation during hand grip and finger hang measurements was assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy. The maximum blood lactate level, rate of perceived exertion, and forearm muscle pain were also determined directly after the lap climbing trials.

Results: COMP resulted in higher changes in oxy[heme] and tissue oxygen saturation (StO₂) during the deoxygenation (oxy[heme]: COMP –10.7 ± 5.4, PLAC –6.7 ± 4.3, CON –6.9 ± 5.0 [μmol]; p = 0.014, η_p² = 0.263; StO₂: COMP –4.0 ± 2.2, PLAC –3.0 ± 1.4, CON –2.8 ± 1.8 [%]; p = 0.049, η_p² = 0.194) and reoxygenation (oxy [heme]: COMP 10.2 ± 5.3, PLAC 6.0 ± 4.1, CON 6.3 ± 4.9 [μmol]; p = 0.011, η_p² = 0.274; StO₂: COMP 3.5 ± 1.9, PLAC 2.4 ± 1.2, CON 2.3 ± 1.9 [%]; p = 0.028, η_p² = 0.225) phases of hand grip measurements, whereas total [heme] concentrations were not affected. No differences were detected between the conditions for the parameters of peak force and fatigue index in the hand grip, time to failure and hemodynamics in the finger hang, or performance-related parameters in the lap climbing measurements (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions: Forearm compression sleeves did not enhance hand grip strength and endurance, sports climbing performance parameters, physiological responses, or perceptual measures. However, they did result in slightly more pronounced changes of oxy [heme] and StO₂ in the deoxygenation and reoxygenation phases during the hand grip strength and endurance measurements.

Putting the Squeeze on Compression Garments: Current Evidence and Recommendations for Future Research: A Systematic Scoping Review

Background

Compression garments are regularly worn during exercise to improve physical performance, mitigate fatigue responses, and enhance recovery. However, evidence for their efficacy is varied and the methodological approaches and outcome measures used within the scientific literature are diverse.

Objectives

The aim of this scoping review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the effects of compression garments on commonly assessed outcome measures in response to exercise, including: performance, biomechanical, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory, muscle damage, thermoregulatory, and perceptual responses.

Methods

A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science and CINAHL Complete) was performed from the earliest record to 27 December, 2020.

Results

In total, 183 studies were identified for qualitative analysis with the following breakdown: performance and muscle function outcomes: 115 studies (63%), biomechanical and neuromuscular: 59 (32%), blood and saliva markers: 85 (46%), cardiovascular: 76 (42%), cardiorespiratory: 39 (21%), thermoregulatory: 19 (10%) and perceptual: 98 (54%). Approximately 85% (n = 156) of studies were published between 2010 and 2020.

Conclusions

Evidence is equivocal as to whether garments improve physical performance, with little evidence supporting improvements in kinetic or kinematic outcomes. Compression likely reduces muscle oscillatory properties and has a positive effect on sensorimotor systems. Findings suggest potential increases in arterial blood flow; however, it is unlikely that compression garments meaningfully change metabolic responses, blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiorespiratory measures. Compression garments increase localised skin temperature and may reduce perceptions of muscle soreness and pain following exercise; however, rating of perceived exertion during exercise is likely unchanged. It is unlikely that compression garments negatively influence exercise-related outcomes. Future research should assess wearer belief in compression garments, report pressure ranges at multiple sites as well as garment material, and finally examine individual responses and varying compression coverage areas.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40279-021-01604-9.

Return to Basketball Play Following COVID-19 Lockdown

Due to concerns regarding the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), major sporting events and activities have been temporarily suspended or postponed, and a new radical sports protocol has emerged. For most sports there are few recommendations based on scientific evidence for returning to team-game activities following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the extended duration of lockdown, and self-training or detraining in the COVID-19 environment, and this is especially true for basketball. A post-lockdown return to the basketball court ultimately depends on the teams-coaches, trainers, players, and medical staff. Nevertheless, our current scientific knowledge is evidently insufficient as far as safety and return-to-play timing are concerned. This situation presents a major challenge to basketball competition in terms of organization, prioritization, maintaining physical fitness, and decision-making. While preparing an adequate basketball return program, the players' health is the major priority. In this article we briefly discuss the topic and propose multiple strategies.

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

PURPOSE

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.

METHODS

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.

RESULTS

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.

CONCLUSION

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.