Effects of wearing compression garments on thermoregulation during simulated team sport activity in temperate environmental conditions

• Published in: Journal of science and medicine in sport Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 303 - 309
• Main Authors: Houghton, Laurence A, Dawson, Brian, Maloney, Shane K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2009; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Body temperature; Body Temperature Regulation; Clothing - adverse effects; Compression garments; Data collection; Evaporation; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Fatigue; Field hockey; Field study; Hockey - physiology; Humans; Intermittent exercise; Male; Monitoring systems; Monitoring, Ambulatory; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Shoes & boots; Skin; Skin Temperature - physiology; Sports Medicine; Sprint times; Thermoregulation; Water-Electrolyte Balance - physiology; Young Adult; Thermoregulation; Field hockey; Fatigue; Compression garments; Intermittent exercise; Sprint times
• ISSN: 1440-2440; 1878-1861
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2007.09.004

Summary Anecdotal evidence suggests compression garments (CGs) are being worn underneath normal playing attire during team sports. Wearing CGs as a baselayer could possibly increase heat storage, and so this field study investigated the effects of wearing CGs, comprising knee-length shorts and short-sleeved top underneath normal match-day attire (COMP), versus normal match-day attire alone (NORM) on thermoregulation during simulated team sport activity. Ten match-fit field hockey players twice performed 4 × 15 min exercise bouts consisting of repeated cycles of intermittent, varied-intensity 20 m shuttle running (Loughborough intermittent shuttle test), once in COMP and once in NORM. Testing was conducted in an indoor gymnasium (ambient conditions: ∼17 °C, ∼60% relative humidity). Participants acted as their own controls. Heart rate (HR), 15 m sprint time, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), blood lactate concentration, sweat rate and body core temperature ( Tcore ) were similar between trials ( p > 0.05). Mean skin temperature ( Tskin ) was significantly higher in COMP than NORM ( p < 0.05). Overall, CGs worn as a baselayer during simulated team sport exercise in temperate ambient conditions had no thermoregulatory benefits nor any detrimental effects on Tcore , physiological performance or dehydration. However, the higher Tskin may affect individual preference for wearing CGs as an undergarment during team sports.