Why running tights won’t put that extra spring in your step
THEY are said to improve performance and speed up recovery and as such have become a trendy, must-have item for many athletes.
But research showing that compression tights do not help runners run further or faster has put paid to the wider claims of some sportswear manufacturers. The study, funded by Nike, found that although such garments reduce muscle vibration, they play no part in reducing muscle fatigue when compared to running without them.
Dr Ajit Chaudhari, an associate professor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Centre, who led the study, said: “When your muscle vibrates, it induces a contraction that uses energy, so the theory was that less muscle vibration would translate to less fatigue.
“However, the reduced vibration was not associated with any reduction in fatigue at all. In our study, runners performed the same with and without compression tights.”
Top athletes such as Paula Radcliffe are rarely seen running without such tights, long said to hold muscles firmly in place, therefore improving circulation and hence performance.
Compression clothing also purports to regulate skin temperature, keep muscles warm to avoid strain, improve posture and prevent “tissue jiggle”.
Some of Nike’s rivals, many of whom have conducted their own research, make claims that do not appear to have been supported by the study. Asics states online that compression clothing can “reoxygenate your muscles faster to help power you to go further”.
The sportswear company says it will help you run further due to the increased oxygen to the blood and recover faster because waste lactic acid will be removed quicker. Adidas says its own range of compression clothing increases blood flow and therefore optimises results. New Balance cites various studies on its website which have found that compression tights increased blood flow and lowered heart rates significantly. The companies are yet to comment on the latest findings.
Participants in the study ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes at 80 per cent of their maximum speed on two different days, once with compression tights on and once without them.
Motion-capture technology tracked each runner’s body position within a fraction of a millimetre. The participants’ leg strength and jump height were tested before and after each run.
One reason for trying to slow fatigue with compression tights, aside from running faster for longer, is the theory that tired runners alter their form and put more strain on their joints, which may increase injury risk.
But further research showed that experienced runners had no more strain on their joints at the end of a training run than at the beginning.
The latest findings were presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting.