While compression garments have been used to improve circulation, similar garments are worn during sports to improve performance. This study assessed the effect of compression socks worn during a five km run.

This counterbalanced, crossover design study included 12, well-trained, male runners. All were asked to maintain constant dietary patterns prior to each of three sessions. At each session, the runners performed a standardized warm-up, followed by a five km timed trial and a one-hour recovery before a second warm-up and five km timed trial.

The runners completed one session wearing compression socks for the first warm-up and timed trial and one session with no compression socks. Blood lactate concentration was measured, with samples collected at completion of each stage of the warm-up protocol, as well as three minutes after completion of the runs.

The declines in run performance between the first and second runs were moderate in the control group and significantly greater than in the compression stockings group (P<0.01). No significant difference was found between the conditions on measures of oxygen consumption, blood lactate or calf volume.

This study of well-trained runners found that wearing compression stockings while running can reduce deterioration in performance one hour later.