| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2842830 | Journal of Thermal Biology | 2015 | 7 Pages |
•GCS increases skin temperature in the regions in contact with the garment.•GCS increases skin temperature in the regions not in contact with the garment.•The use of GCS does not affect heart rate and perception of fatigue during running.•Differences in variations rather than in absolute temperatures were found.
High skin temperatures reduce the thermal gradient between the core and the skin and they can lead to a reduction in performance and increased risk of injury. Graduated compression stockings have become popular among runners in the last years and their use may influence the athlete's thermoregulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of graduated compression stockings on skin temperature during running in a moderate indoor environment. Forty-four runners performed two running tests lasting 30 min (10 min of warm-up and 20 min at 75% of their maximal aerobic speed) with and without graduated compressive stockings. Skin temperature was measured in 12 regions of interest on the lower limb by infrared thermography before and after running. Heart rate and perception of fatigue were assessed during the last minute of the running test. Compression stockings resulted in greater increase of temperature (p=0.002 and ES=2.2, 95% CI [0.11–0.45 °C]) not only in the body regions in contact (tibialis anterior, ankle anterior and gastrocnemius) but also in the body regions that were not in contact with the garment (vastus lateralis, abductor and semitendinosus). No differences were observed between conditions in heart rate and perception of fatigue (p>0.05 and ES<0.8). In conclusion, running with graduated compression stockings produces a greater increase of skin temperature without modifying the athlete's heart rate and perception of fatigue.
