What is compression

PUT SIMPLY, FASTER RECOVERY!

Muscle damage is an inevitable consequence of your high intensity exercise and any technique that can facilitate muscle repair and faster recovery is of huge benefit to us all. A study in elite Rugby Union players reported that compression garments worn immediately after a rugby match significantly reduced markers of muscle damage (creatine kinase) compared to passive recovery at 36 and 84 hours post-match (8)

They may look very similar to the basic tights that were popular in the 80’s but there is far more physiology behind compression garments than meets the eye.

Graded (or graduated) compression means that the compression exerted by the garments differs over a given distance. As an example, if long lower body garments are used, compression at the ankle and calf is higher than at the thigh, which facilitates the flow of blood through the deep veins back towards the heart. This increase in blood flow and venous return to the heart is one of the reasons why compression garments are used in clinical applications such as prevention of deep vein thrombosis post-surgery

Our compression design targets muscle groups via scientifically placed panels and seams so compression is applied to individual targeted muscle groups. This technology means the garment moves with the targeted muscle groups in flexion and extension. So, unlike cheap colourful tights, we enclose each muscle region like a muscle sheath, using graded compression to give the added benefits of strengthening and providing support to the targeted muscle groups.

The truth is that there is no globally accepted methodology to measure the compression that commercially available compression garments provide. This is why many manufacturers will quote compression data without indicating the methodology they used to measure it. Compression data means nothing if the method used cannot be proven to be reliable and valid.

Furthermore, the compression exerted will depend on the individual wearing the garment. Anthropometric measurements differ greatly between individuals and even two individuals with the same height and weight can vary greatly in limb girth. So when companies give a single reading for the compression provided at the ankle, calf and thigh, these readings likely only apply to a single person and if anyone else tried on the same compression garment the pressures would not be identical.

So don’t get caught up in the marketing! We know our garments make a difference because they have been used by the best athletes at the highest level of sport, since 2004.

We know delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) occurs in the days following intense sport, running, HIIT sessions or novel activities and symptoms can range from muscle tenderness to severe debilitating pain (5).

Research has indicated that compression garments can reduce both the severity of DOMS and recovery time following eccentric muscle damage.

Prove it! Ok, we will... In a clinical trial Kraemer and co-workers (12) induced delayed onset muscle soreness through an eccentric resistance training protocol in 20 female participants. Immediately after the muscle damaging protocol the women were divided into two groups; one group wore a compression garment for 5 days while the other group received no treatment. The results indicated that compression garments facilitated recovery of muscle strength and power and resulted in significantly less perceived muscle soreness. Interestingly on day 5 the group receiving no treatment had a 2-3cm increase in upper arm circumference attributed to swelling, while the compression garment group had no swelling at all.

More recently a study was conducted in which subjects performed downhill walking with one leg covered by a compression garment while the other leg remained uncovered and acted as a control. The participants were then carefully monitored in the 48 hours after the exercise trial. The scientists conducting the study concluded that the compression garment accelerated the inflammatory and repair timeframe within the muscle (17). This could explain why compression garments have previously been reported to facilitate a more rapid recovery of performance following soft tissue damage.

One study investigated the effect of compression garments on recovery between two maximal exercise tests. The study investigated the effect of wearing compression garments during an 80 minute recovery period separating two all-out 5 minute maximal cycle tests. The results indicated that the compression garments facilitated recovery and that performance on the second 5 minute cycle test was superior after wearing compression garments during the recovery period. Specifically, the difference between wearing and not wearing compression garments during recovery corresponded to a 2.1% difference in performance (4)

In recent times compression garments have become popular in many field-based sports such as rugby league, rugby union, soccer and AFL. These sports require a fitness component termed “repeated sprint ability” or “RSA”. RSA is basically the capacity to perform multiple high intensity sprints with brief recoveries over an extended period of time. Many athletes who wear compression garments during training and competition perceive that compression garments allow them to recovery more quickly between high intensity efforts and subsequently perform repeated sprints at a higher intensity. That’s why you often see athletes training in the athletic longs or even when they go for a run.

Enhanced repeated sprint ability would certainly be of benefit to athletes in field-based sports, however at this point no research has specifically investigated the potential of compression garments under such conditions. Sprints in field-based sports are generally short, and performed at a high frequency with very brief recoveries. They also involve rapid accelerations, decelerations and changes in direction.

Given that compression garments have been reported to positively influence blood lactate concentrations, reduce muscle oscillation and enhance muscle proprioception, then it would seem that there are certainly physiological mechanisms by which compression garments have the potential to enhance repeated sprint ability in field based sports.

In an attempt to facilitate post exercise recovery, many athletes and teams implement recovery strategies such as contrast water therapy and low intensity active exercise protocols. However sometimes it is not possible to implement such strategies so compression garments represent a passive recovery technique that is simple and convenient.

In a recent study, recovery after a rugby match was compared when four different recovery techniques were implemented (5). The four techniques included compression garments, contrast water therapy, low intensity active exercise and passive recovery. Creatine Kinase, an enzyme that provides an indication of muscle damage was measured before, immediately after, and at 36 and 84 hours post-match. Results indicated that compression garments, contrast water therapy and low intensity active exercise enhanced CK clearance more than passive recovery. This study illustrates that compression garments are as effective as many other popular recovery techniques while offering the advantage of being more convenient under certain conditions (e.g. away games)

Proprioception refers to joint position sense or, more simply, an overall awareness of bodily position. The importance of proprioception can be appreciated in terms of injury. Your proprioceptors in the skin, muscle and joints provide feedback to the central nervous system as to the position of a joint. If a joint (say, the knee) is approaching a position that may place it at risk of injury (like hyperextension

and risk of ACL rupture) the proprioceptors can relay that information back to the central nervous system and adjustments in muscle activation can take place that may prevent that injury occurring.

Research has shown compression garments positively influence proprioception. Kraemer and co-workers (11) reported increased hip joint proprioception when athletes wore compression garments. This enhanced proprioception may be a consequence of a greater feedback from skin proprioceptors as a consequence of the tactile interaction between the garments and the skin surface.

Although muscles are attached to the bone via tendons and are surrounded via connective tissue fascia and skin, a certain degree of lateral and vertical movement remains possible. During dynamic activities, such as running and jumping, oscillatory movement occurs in skeletal muscles as they are forced to accelerate, decelerate and absorb impact shocks.

In investigating muscle oscillation upon landing from a maximal vertical jump it was reported that compression garments were able to significantly reduce longitudinal and anterior-posterior muscle oscillation by 0.32 and 0.40cm respectively (7).

Reduced muscle oscillation and increased proprioception may have numerous potential benefits to athletes including:

Increased strength and power

Optimal muscle function involves a sequence of events beginning in the nervous system and finishing at the level of the muscle fibers. Any variable that interferes with any component of that sequence can produce less than optimal muscle recruitment patterns. It has been suggested that a reduction in oscillatory displacement of a muscle may optimize neurotransmission and the mechanics of muscle contraction at the molecular level (14).

Increased movement efficiency and superior technique

As a consequence of enhanced proprioception compression garments may reduce or even offset the detrimental effects that fatigue has on both technique and joint position sense. This has positive ramifications for both performance and injury prevention.

In a recent study in trained runners it was reported that compression garments worn during running may enhance circulation and decrease muscle oscillation to promote a lower energy expenditure at a given submaximal speed (2). Greater efficiency corresponds to reduced fatigue which is of obvious benefit to athletic performance and injury prevention.

We’ve all felt it during a sprint or leg day at the gym. It’s that lactic acid build up that can cause muscle ache, burning, cramps, weakness and fatigue.

Blood lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic muscle metabolism. High muscle and blood lactic acid concentrations can present a challenge to the body’s ability to maintain pH within the narrow physiological range. This, in turn, can negatively impact the force-generating capacity of the muscle which results in muscle fatigue and impaired athletic performance.

Data published by Berry and Mcmurray (1) showed a 14% decrease in blood lactate concentrations 15 minutes following high intensity exercise when compression garments were worn during and after exercise.

Pain in muscles working at high intensities is a natural occurrence (6), unless you are taking a gym selfie. Preliminary research investigating the effect of compression garments on muscle pain has produced some interesting results. In a study of 63 year old cyclists it was reported that compression garments worn during an 80 minute recovery period following an intense cycle test had a beneficial effect on leg pain (4). No research at this point has specifically investigated muscle pain during high intensity exercise and this represents another exciting future research avenue.

A study conducted by Doan and co-workers (7) reported that vertical jump height increased by 2.4cm when performed wearing compression garments. In an earlier study it was reported that the average

force and power production during 10 consecutive vertical jumps in volleyball player was significantly higher when wearing compression garments (9).

There are two potential mechanisms for the increased vertical jump height. Firstly, it may be that much like an elastic band the stored potential energy in the compression garments under stretch can then be used to facilitate explosive power. This is similar to the concept behind the popular conditioning strategy of plyometric training.

A second potential mechanism related to proprioception and muscle oscillation. As compression garments have been shown to enhance proprioception and reduce muscle oscillation this may allow superior neuromuscular recruitment and more explosive and efficient muscular contractions.

VO2max and anaerobic threshold are physiological measurements that are deemed to be highly correlated to success in endurance sports. VO2max is defined as the greatest rate of oxygen uptake by the body measured during severe dynamic exercise (16). Anaerobic threshold is defined as the level of oxygen consumption at which there is a rapid and systematic increase in blood lactate concentration (16)

Recently a study reported that compression garments resulted in a 10% increase in VO2max and a 40% increase in the anaerobic threshold as measured during a graded exercise test (13). This data suggests that compression garments could be of significant benefits to the endurance athlete both during training and competition.

There is mounting scientific evidence that suggests that compression garments worn during training and/or competition may reduce the likelihood of injury. This is related to several of the physiological mechanisms of compression garments including:

Increased muscle temperature

It is well established that a warmup prior to intense exercise may reduce the incidence of some sporting injuries (15). One of the principle functions of a warmup is to progressively increase the muscle temperature in preparation for more intense activity. A study conducted by Doan and co-workers (7) reported that compression garments facilitated a more rapid increase in skin temperature during a controlled warm up. Consequently this could allow optimal muscle temperature to be reached more quickly during a standardized warm up protocol.

Increased proprioception

Enhancing muscle proprioception has become a key focus in recent years in an attempt to reduce serious sporting injuries such as ligament tears. Programs designed

to increase muscle and joint proprioception have reported significant reductions in career threatening injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament tears (3). As research has also reported compression garments to enhance joint proprioception (11) this is another physiological mechanism by which compression garments may reduce injury rates.

This is a concern of many athletes who, prior to trying compression garments, perceive that they will be overly restrictive.

In a study conducted by Kraemer and coworkers (10) the scientists investigated the potential for compression garments to affect the work capacity or force production of the underlying muscles. In line with the concerns of many athletes, this study basically investigated the potential for the compression forces generated by the garments to add additional resistance to the contracting muscles underneath and therefore potentially cause fatigue and impair performance. In both the lower body squat and isokinetic leg extension/flexion test used to measure performance it was concluded that compression garments did not add any significant resistance to hip and thigh movements and consequently did not contribute to excess fatigue or negatively impair performance.

In a later study conducted by Doan and co-workers (7) it was reported that 60m sprint times were not impaired when track and field athletes wore compression garments. The scientists further reported that there were no major changes in the kinematics of sprinting. Basically this means that sprinting technique including the motion at the hip and the knee were not adversely affected.

Together these studies suggest that the degree of compression offered by sports compression garments does not increase resistance or restrict movement patterns to a degree that will contribute to fatigue and/or impair force production capabilities.

Although there are gender differences in terms of human physiology, the physiological benefits of compression garments are available to both males and females. Research reporting enhanced performance under fatigue, increased joint proprioception and reduced muscle oscillation has used both male and female athletes (10). Additionally a study reporting that compression garments reduced muscle soreness and facilitated faster recovery after soft tissue injury exclusively used female participants (12).

The physiological benefits of compression garments are not limited to young athletes. In a recent study, scientists investigated the effect of compression garments on performance in 63-year-old sportsmen. The study investigated the effect of wearing compression garments during an 80 minute recovery period separating two all-out 5 minute maximal cycle tests. The results indicated that the compression garments facilitated recovery and that performance on the second 5 minute cycle test was superior after wearing compression garments. Specifically the difference between wearing and not wearing compression garments during recovery corresponded to a 2.1% enhancement in performance (4)

That’s right! It is only recently that their performance enhancing capabilities in the athletic environment have been discovered. With recent research showing improved ability to recover from physically demanding activities and improved efficiency of movement, compression garments are now finding their way into occupational settings.

Efficiency of movement and management of fatigue is important in terms of occupational health and safety as well as workplace productivity. At one end of the spectrum you have occupations such as firefighting and law enforcement whereby efficiency of movement and management of fatigue is not only related to work productivity but can also be related to survival.

Recent research has reported that when compression shorts are worn during running they were able to reduce the energy cost of the exercise. According to the scientists, the shorts appeared to improve circulation and reduce muscle movement so that less energy was required to run. Obviously to a firefighter or police officer the potential benefits of improved efficiency of movement could certainly translate into improved work performance but more importantly improved occupational safety.

However not all jobs are potentially life threatening and in many jobs management of fatigue becomes extremely important in terms of workplace productivity. Positions requiring manual labor can be as demanding on the body as elite level sport. However, unlike elite athletes, most individuals involved in manual labor are unaware of tools like compression garments that can help them to manage fatigue. At a physiological level continual heavy lifting and performance of intense and physically demanding duties with little or no rest between efforts is no different from other forms of high intensity exercise. As compression garments have been shown to reduce blood lactate concentrations (1), reduce muscle pain (3) and improve movement efficiency (2) during high intensity exercise, they certainly have application to occupations involving manual labor.

Compression garments are very thin and don’t impair movement. In fact, research in athletes has shown that athletic technique is not restricted by wearing compression garments (4). Prior to trying them some individuals fear that compression garments being so tight may increase fatigue by making it harder to move. However, in a recent scientific study compression garments did not add any significant resistance to hip and thigh movements and consequently did not contribute to excess fatigue or negatively impair performance (6). Furthermore, research has shown improved efficiency in movement (2) meaning that individuals actually used less energy to perform movement when wearing compression shorts.

Despite many occupations being as physical demanding as sport, recovery techniques are rarely applied in the occupational setting. Compression garments have been shown to facilitate recovery between two exercise sessions separated by 80 minutes (3). Consequently, something as simple as wearing a compression garment during the lunch hour for a construction worker may facilitate muscular recovery such that muscular power, endurance and productivity is improved in the afternoon. We get that this may not be suitable in every workplace, but maybe it should be!

In Australia we see food servers and retailer assistants that stand up all day investing in compression garments, to cover that ‘8 hour workout’. Furthermore muscle damage is a natural consequence of high intensity activity and soreness, and impaired function can persist for days. Research has shown compression garments to be superior to passive recovery at facilitating muscle repair in the days after high intensity exercise (5). Consequently, compression garments worn in the hours after demanding physical work could facilitate a faster recovery such that occupational performance is not impaired for extended periods of time.

Obviously when worn in an occupational setting compression garments will be worn under traditional work wear or uniforms. As a natural consequence of muscular activity the body produces heat,

however in many occupations the environmental conditions can further challenge the body’s ability to regulate temperature.

Evaporation is an important method of heat loss for the body and involves heat being transferred to water on the surface of the skin. Once the water gains sufficient heat it is converted to gas (water vapor) taking the heat with it away from the body. Consequently it is not just sweating that is critical to cooling the body but evaporation of that sweat. Targeted Compression uses a technology that actually facilitates this process by catching the moisture, moving it away and releasing it for quick evaporation.

Consequently, compression garments may actually facilitate superior temperature regulation and moisture management even when worn beneath normal workwear or uniforms.

Compression garments are not designed to be a fashion statement and running out onto the field looking like an aerobics instructor probably won’t do you any favors! The good news is that wearing shorts over the top of compression garments won’t negatively effect the compression and you can therefore gain all the benefits without anyone even knowing you are wearing them.

Note: But if you do like to flaunt it, we’re not stopping you!

Field sports are extremely demanding on the body and require a high degree of fitness. Players will generally run many kilometers in a match and this will generally be done in a series of short sprints with brief recoveries. Anyone that plays field sports knows that these repeated sprints cause a large build-up of lactic acid - at times it can feel like your legs weigh a ton and are literally on fire!

Often compression garments are only worn after matches and training. However this approach does not guarantee you the most from your compression garment. When compression garments are worn during exercise they have been shown to reduce blood lactate concentrations (1) and reduce muscle pain (2). You wouldn’t leave your boots in the dressing room so why leave your compression garments in there!?

Explosive power has become a prerequisite to success in field-based sports. Much of the pre-season training for field sports such as Rugby Union, Rugby League and AFL are dedicated to increasing the size, strength and power of the players. In fact, it is often the players that are the most explosive that make it to the top.

One of the measures commonly used to measure explosive power is the vertical jump. Often athletes will train intensely for months just to increase their vertical jump by a couple of centimeters. Interestingly, research has shown that simply wearing compression garments can increase vertical jump height by 2.4cm (3). This is not a one-off finding and other research has shown that average force and power production during vertical jump testing is higher when wearing compression garments (5).

This is a common concern among athletes but it’s far from the truth. In fact, research in athletes has shown that athletic technique is not restricted by wearing compression garments (3).

Some athletes fear that compression garments being so tight may increase fatigue by making it harder to move. However in a recent scientific study compression garments did not add any significant resistance to hip and thigh movements and consequently did not contribute to excess fatigue or negatively impair performance (7).

So basically, the research is showing increased power and endurance with no adverse effects on movement. It’s all good news for the field athlete

Obviously in contact-based field sports, compression garments are going to do very little to protect against contact injuries. However many non-contact injuries occur because joints are pushed into inappropriate positions. Within your skin, muscles and joints you have tiny little receptors that provide feedback to your brain as to the position of a joint. Say you are running down the sideline and you go to sidestep around another player. As you sidestep your knee may approach a position that may place

it at risk of an injury such as a ligament tear. The proprioceptor’s job is to relay that information back to your brain so that your brain can tell your muscles to contract in a manner that stops the joint ending up in that position. If proprioception is poor, the message that the knee joint is approaching a dangerous position does not get through in time and you might sustain a season ending knee injury.

There is no research at this point in time regarding how compression garments may reduce non-contact injuries. However preliminary research has shown that compression garments can enhance proprioception (7).

Other research has also shown that compression garments reduce what is termed as muscle oscillation. Basically, muscles are attached to bones but they are still able to move, wobble and shake a bit. Impacts such as those experiences when the foot strikes the ground during running send vibrations through the muscle much like the ripples caused by dropping a rock into a pond. These oscillations can interfere with optimal muscle contraction and as such may impair performance. Reducing these oscillations may therefore enhance performance and reduce the chances of injury.

Interestingly, compression garments have been shown to be just as beneficial in terms of post-match recovery from muscle damage as hot and cold baths (4). If you want the best of both worlds you can do both but if you are playing an away from home game and don’t have access to your standard facilities simply wearing compression garments following your post-match warm down and showers will accelerate your recovery.

If you want to use contrast baths as well as compression garments you can use the following research-proven protocol after your post-match warm down:

· Alternate between one minute in cold water (8-10°C) and two minutes in hot water (40-42°C) for approximately nine minutes.

· Following the contrast baths wear full length compression garments overnight or for approximately 12 hours.

Contact sports are physical and brutal in nature. Unfortunately for most athletes involved in these sports muscle damage is an inevitable consequence of exercise. This makes any technique that can facilitate muscle repair and reduce soft tissue injury of large benefit to an athlete’s ability to back up the next day. Knowledge of the need for athletes to be able to train day in and day out to their maximum potential has led to our compression design incorporating a muscle sheath technology. This means we enclose each major muscle region like a muscle sheath, providing superior strength and support to the targeted muscle groups. The importance of this is found in the sheath’s technology to reduce muscle oscillations.

Although muscles are attached to bones via tendons and are surrounded via connective tissue fascia and skin, a certain degree of lateral and vertical movement still remains possible. Impacts such as those experiences when the foot strikes the ground during running and body contact send vibrations through the muscle much like the ripples caused by dropping a rock into a pond known as muscle oscillations. These oscillations can interfere with optimal muscle contraction and promote muscular soreness ultimately hampering athlete’s next day performance. Reducing these oscillations may therefore enhance performance and reduce the chances of injury.

Independent research into the effects of Targeted Compression’s sheath technology on muscle oscillations revealed, upon landing from a maximal vertical jump, targeted compression was able to reduce longitudinal and anterior-posterior muscle oscillation by 0.32cm and 0.40cm respectively.

Targeted compression enhances your exercise recovery like no other compression garment on the market. Train, play, and recover with BSc targeted compression.

The result of any running based sport often comes down to who's able to last the longest. Your ability to continually and forcefully contract leg muscles while fighting off fatigue is paramount for athletic success. This is where targeted compression gives you an unfair advantage.

Our compression garments provide muscle sheath strength, support, improved circulation and greater joint awareness to targeted muscle groups.

As a consequence of these physiological variables, independent research has shown targeted compression to increase VO2max by up to 10% and anaerobic threshold by up to 40%. These two fitness characteristics are highly correlated to success in running sports ultimately giving you a significant competitive advantage for running athletes.

Research indicates that athletes utilising graded compression over their lower limbs during running may enhance circulation and decrease muscle oscillation to promote lower energy expenditure at a given submaximal speed. Greater efficiency corresponds to reduced fatigue which is of obvious benefit to any running athlete wanting to go that little bit longer.

Research also suggests that Graded Compression has a positive influence on blood lactate concentrations. Blood lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic muscle metabolism. High muscle and blood lactic acid concentrations can present a challenge to the body’s ability to maintain pH within the narrow physiological range. This in turn can negatively impact the force generating capacity of the muscle which results in the early onset of fatigue. Ultimately, Targeted Compression could be the difference between you being first or second.

Train, play, and recover with BSc targeted compression.

Short answer: Absolutely!

Explosive muscular power is of key importance to performing a wide array of exercises. Knowledge of the importance of this athletic component has led to the unique targeted compression design that enhances power by targeting specific muscle groups via panels and seams so compression is applied across the whole targeted muscle groups.

Independent research in track and field athletes has reported a 5.2% increase in maximal vertical jump height by simply wearing the targeted compression garments. Vertical jump is a common index used to mark explosive power.

The art behind targeted compression increasing power relies on two central principles, the stretch shortening cycle of muscles and enhanced neuromuscular recruitment of dynamic muscles.

The first mechanism in power gains of targeted compression relies on a scientific anatomical design that positions panels and seams to enhance the stretch shortening cycle of muscles. Panels and seams are positioned in unison with muscles and tendons; this enables the garment to act as an elastic band that has stored potential energy. Therefore the compression garments under stretch can then be used to promote power levels. This fabric phenomenon facilitates the stretch shortening cycle ultimately enhancing your explosive power.

A second potential mechanism in targeted compressions ability to increase power is related to neuromuscular recruitment. Targeted compression allows an enhancement of proprioception and a reduction in muscle oscillation the likes which have never been seen in any compression garment on the market. Improved spatial awareness and reduced muscular oscillation enables a superior neuromuscular recruitment pattern resulting in more explosive and efficient muscular contractions. Train, play, and recover with BSc targeted compression.

You sure can. And you should!

The desire to get around the court faster is often a sought-after physical component by athletes competing in court sports. For athletes that perform on a court, speed is often required in terms of

“repeated sprint ability” or “RSA”. RSA is basically the capacity to perform multiple high intensity sprints with brief recoveries over an extended period of time. BSc compression directly facilitates RSA via targeted compression.

RSA sprints usually require rapid accelerations, decelerations and changes in direction. Knowledge of the need for these athletes to perform repeated sprints led BSc sports science team to design a targeted compression garment that focuses on the ultimate in gradient compression from head to toe.

Graded compression means that the compression exerted by the garments differs over a given distance. If long lower body garments are used as an example, compression at the ankle and calf is higher than at the thigh. This facilitates the flow of blood through the deep veins back towards the heart. So how does this help you go faster? The compression gradient helps the body pump blood from the deep veins that are working overtime during high intensity sprints back to the heart. This ultimately leads to a reduction in blood lactate concentrations enabling the forceful muscle contractions found during repeated sprints to continue.

Yes, BSc compression reduces muscle oscillation whilst also enhancing muscle proprioception. Ultimately there are several physiological mechanisms by which targeted compression can improve an athlete’s ability to get around the court.

Train, play, and recover with BSc targeted compression.

The intensity, duration and frequency swimmers and aquatic athletes have to endure make them amongst the hardest working athletes on the planet. However once out of the pool it is important that athletes recover and energy levels are restored. This is where BSc targeted compression comes into play.

This slick design allows the garment to move freely with the targeted muscle groups through flexion and extension, improving circulation and reducing muscle movement, promoting lower energy expenditure during recovery periods.

Feeling restricted in your actions is the last thing you want to feel as an athlete. Luckily for you the design of our compression garment not only provides strength, support, improved circulation and greater joint awareness to targeted muscle groups, but also manages to do this without affecting work capacity or force production of the underlying muscles. The form-meets-function panel construction of the garment allows the garment to move with the targeted muscle groups through flexion and extension allowing you to get from A to B quicker.

Field sports are extremely demanding on the body and require a high degree of fitness. Players will generally run many kilometres in a match and this will generally be done in a series of short sprints with brief recoveries. All field sports athletes will tell you that these repeated sprints cause a large buildup of lactic acid and at times it can feel like your legs weigh a ton and are literally on fire. This is where BSc compression can help.

Often compression garments are only worn after matches and training. However this approach does not guarantee you the most from your compression garment. BSc’s diverse range of compression garments allows you to wear compression garments not only in training but also under your playing kit. When compression garments are worn during exercise they have been shown to reduce blood lactate concentrations and reduce muscle pain. Make BSc’s targeted compression range part of your playing kit. Train, play, and recover with BSc targeted compression

Yes. Muscle damage is an inevitable consequence of high intensity exercise and any technique that can facilitate muscle repair and faster recovery is of large benefit to field athletes. BSc Compression garments worn immediately after a match significantly reduced markers of muscle damage (creatine kinase) compared to passive recovery at 36 and 84 hours post-match

Often described as the heart muscle of the legs due to its continual venous return, the Calf Muscle is often responsible for dynamic plantar flexion, an important component of any explosive activity of the leg. The cut and panel arrangement allows the ultimate in graded compression to this key muscle group allowing an enhancement in blood flow and reduction in lactic acid accumulation to the lower leg whiles reducing muscle vibration across this muscle group.

A complex muscle in design, the Hamstrings consists of 3 muscles which are predominantly responsible for flexion of the knee and extension of the thigh making it a central muscle in athletic disciplines. The cut of our compression hamstring panel has been designed to keep these 3 muscles in line and at optimal position. This allows a reduction in the delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) by accelerating the inflammatory and repair timeframe within the muscle.

The action of running involves constant movements between extension and flexion causing a great degree of oscillatory movement to occur in skeletal muscles particularly the quadriceps as they are forced to accelerate, decelerate and absorb impact shocks. The panel arrangement implemented acts to enclose each of the 4 Quadriceps muscles like a sheath significantly reducing longitudinal and anterior-posterior muscle oscillation ultimately aiding muscle recovery post exercise.

The Adductors or Groin consists of 4 muscles which are responsible for Adduction, hip flexion and lateral rotation of the thigh. Groin Strains are quite common with these muscles due to muscles becoming hypertonic with use and when stretched often tear. Designed to increase groin proprioception via greater feedback from skin proprioceptors as a consequence of the tactile interaction between the garments and the skin surface whiles also enhancing the core muscle temperature, ultimately resulting in fewer incidents of injury.

The actions of running, jumping and even walking are all extremely important aspects of athletic performance however repeated performances of these activities can unfortunately cause a stress

reaction in the mid-shaft of the tibia commonly known as shin splints. Shin splints often arise as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Knowledge of this common athletic injury has led to the design and placement of panel that directly targets the shins. This specific panel reduces impact shock by reducing oscillatory movement around the tibia during heel strike whiles providing improved blood flow to the lower leg group. Both these mechanisms aid in reducing DOMS around the tibia and in turn shin splints.

Explosive actions of the leg often start from the Gluteal muscle. One of the strongest muscles in the human body, special attention has been made in targeting this muscle group. Seam and panel alignment provide the ultimate in compression by enhancing blood flow to the Gluteal muscle group and acting as an elastic band by providing stored potential energy in the compression garments to facilitate explosive power.

Upper body Explosive muscular power is highly correlated with success in a vast array of sports. The Pectoral muscle group forms a thick fan-shaped muscle of the chest responsible for flexing, adducting and medially rotating the Humerus, or put simply the majority of pushing or pulling actions of the upper body. Knowledge of the importance of this muscle group has led to BSc designing specific compression panels that target the pectoral muscle group via panels and seams so compression is applied across the whole chest. This ultimately reduces oscillatory displacement of muscle in the chest optimizing neurotransmission and the mechanics of muscle contraction at the molecular level.

The Deltoid muscle also known as the shoulder muscle is an extremely complex muscle due to the arrangement of three different sets of muscle fibres that form together to comprise the deltoid. This unfortunately makes the deltoid muscle susceptible to fatigue further promoting serious injury. The cut and arrangement of the deltoid panel has specifically been designed to enclose the deltoid muscle sheath, providing strength and support to the muscle group reducing the likelihood of injury.

As a natural consequence of performing exercise the body produces heat, however in many sports the environmental conditions athletes are subjected to can further challenge the body’s ability to regulate temperature.

Knowledge of this has led to our catch, move, release moisture management technology in the fabric of all its compression garments to ensure superior temperature regulation. This technology is coupled with breathable mesh panels in differing targeted areas of the body further promoting the body’s ability to regulate shifting temperatures.

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