The Acute Effects of Compression Garments on Muscle Protein Synthesis Markers, Blood Flow, Performance, and Perceived Recovery after Resistance Exercise.

Objective: Compression garments are a commonly used recovery aid following resistance exercise, which may improve muscle blood flow and perceived recovery. However, there has been limited insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms that may mediate the physiological effects of compression garments. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of compression tights on markers of muscle protein synthesis, muscle blood flow, and indices of recovery following a bout of resistance exercise.

Methods: Twenty resistance-trained participants (5 females, 15 males) completed a leg-press exercise session followed by a 5-h recovery period wearing either commercially available compression tights (COMP, n = 10) or no tights (CON, n = 10). Physiological (markers of muscle protein synthesis, muscle blood flow, blood lactate, blood glucose), perceptual (total quality of recovery, perceived muscle soreness and subjective wellbeing), and performance measures (countermovement jump and isometric mid-thigh pull) were collected at baseline, immediately post-exercise (performance and perceptual only), and at 1-h (physiological and perceptual only), 5-h and 24-h post-exercise.

Results: No significant (p < 0.05) interactions were observed between groups in physiological, performance, and perceptual measures. There were main effects of time for post-exercise measures compared to baseline (p < 0.05), with increased markers of muscle protein synthesis, muscle blood flow, blood lactate, muscle soreness, and reduced blood glucose, total quality of recovery, subjective wellbeing, and countermovement jump height for both groups.

Conclusions: Commercially available compression tights used post-resistance exercise did not influence muscle protein synthesis markers, muscle blood flow or indices of exercise recovery following resistance exercise in the current study.