The study titled ‘Compression Garments and Adaptations to Plyometric Training in Soccer Players’ published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research examines the effects of chronic use of compression garments (CG) during a 6-week plyometric training program.
The research involved eighteen male soccer players from a reserve team of an elite professional club, who were randomly assigned to receive either CG or a placebo (PLA) after plyometric sessions. The aim was to determine whether CG would enhance training adaptations compared to PLA.
During the study, participants engaged in plyometric training sessions twice a week for six weeks. They were assessed on various performance metrics, including countermovement jump performance, one-leg sprint power, knee extensor strength, pennation angle of the calf muscles, creatine kinase levels, and perceived muscle soreness.
Results indicated that the CG group experienced a moderate, significant improvement in countermovement jump performance (effect size d = 0.762), while the PLA group showed a small, nonsignificant improvement (d = 0.344). Additionally, one-leg power performance improved significantly in both groups, with the CG group showing a large effect size (d = 1.690) compared to the PLA group (d = 0.867).
Overall, the findings suggest that the chronic use of CG for recovery does not negatively impact training adaptations and may enhance power following plyometric training.
What this study does not show
This study does not establish a direct causal relationship between the use of compression garments and improved athletic performance, nor does it assess long-term effects beyond the training program.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: established
- Clinical validity: established
- Clinical utility: partial
The evidence is based on a randomized controlled trial involving human participants.