The use of compression stockings during a marathon competition to reduce exercise-induced muscle damage: are they really useful?

STUDY

DESIGN

Case-control study; ecological study.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the efficacy of wearing compression stockings to prevent muscle damage and to maintain running performance during a marathon competition.

BACKGROUND

Exercise-induced muscle damage has been identified as one of the main causes of the progressive decrease in running and muscular performance found during marathon races.

METHODS

Thirty-four experienced runners were pair-matched for age, anthropometric data, and best race time in the marathon, and randomly assigned to a control group (n = 17) of runners who wore conventional socks or to a group of runners who wore foot-to-knee graduated compression stockings (n = 17). Before and after the race, a sample of venous blood was obtained, and jump height and leg muscle power were measured during a countermovement jump. Serum myoglobin and creatine kinase concentrations were determined as blood markers of muscle fiber damage.

RESULTS

Total race time was not different between the control group and the compression stockings group (210 ± 23 and 214 ± 22 minutes, respectively; P = .58). Between the control group and the compression stockings group, postrace reductions in leg muscle power (-19.8% ± 17.7% versus -24.8% ± 18.4%, respectively; P = .37) and jump height (-25.3% ± 14.1% versus -32.5% . 20.4%, respectively; P = .27) were similar. At the end of the race, there were no differences between the control group and the compression stockings group in serum myoglobin (568 ± 347 ng·mL(-1) versus 573 ± 270 ng·mL(-1), respectively; P = .97) and creatine kinase concentration (390 ± 166 U·L(-1) versus 487 ± 227 U·L(-1), respectively; P = .16).

CONCLUSION

The use of compression stockings did not improve running pace and did not prevent exercise-induced muscle damage during the marathon. Wearing compression stockings during long-distance running events is an ineffective strategy to avoid the deleterious effects of muscle damage on running performance.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapy, level 2b.