Effects of compression clothing on speed–power performance of elite Paralympic sprinters: a pilot study
Loturco et al. SpringerPlus
Effects of compression clothing on speed-power performance of elite Paralympic sprinters: a pilot study
Irineu Loturco 2
Ciro Winckler 1
Thiago F. Lourenço 1
Amaury Veríssimo 1
Ronaldo Kobal 2
Katia Kitamura 2
Lucas A. Pereira 2
Fábio Y. Nakamura 0 2
0 UEL - State University of Londrina , Londrina, PR , Brazil
1 CPB - Brazilian Paralympic Committee , Brasília, DF , Brazil
2 NAR - Nucleus of High Performance in Sport , Av. Padre José Maria, 555 - Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP 04753-060 , Brazil
Background: Compression garments are thought to aid performance in some selected speed-power activities owing to improved sensory feedback and proprioception. The aim of this study was to test the effects of using compression garments on speed and power-related performances in elite sprinters with visual impairment, who rely more on proprioception to perform than their Olympic peers. Eight top-level Paralympic sprinters competing in 100- and 200-m races performed, in the following order: unloaded squat jump (SJ), loaded jump squat (JS) and sprint tests over 20- and 70-m distances; using or not the compression garment. The maximum mean propulsive power value obtained during the JS attempts (starting at 40 % of their body mass, after which a load of 10 % of body mass was progressively added) was considered for data analysis purposes. The athletes executed the SJ and JS attempts without any help from their guides. Magnitude-based inference was used to analyze the results. Findings: The unloaded SJ was possibly higher in the compression than the placebo condition (41.19 ± 5.09 vs. 39.49 ± 5.75 cm). Performance differences in the loaded JS and sprint tests were all rated as unclear. Conclusions: It was concluded that the acute enhancement in vertical jump ability should be explored in the preparation of Paralympic sprinters during power-related training sessions. However, chronic effects in Paralympic athletes wearing compression garments need to be further tested, in order to support its use as a specific training aid.
Sprint; Squat jump; Visual impairment; Blind athletes; Loaded jumps
Background
In elite sports, coaches often seek for acute strategies to
optimize training performance in order to obtain
competitive benefits. For instance, traditional warm-up and
post-activation potentiation strategies have been widely
investigated and shown to elicit benefits to performance
in different tasks (e.g., endurance running, explosive
throws, etc.)
(McGowan et al. 2015; Seitz and Haff 2016)
.
In addition, specially designed clothing is proposed to
acutely enhance sports performance. More specifically,
a systematic review suggested that compression
garments are capable of improving sprinting and jumping
performances, but with small effect sizes (ES) (Born et al.
2013). However, results in the literature are mixed
(MacRae et al. 2011)
, and in some instances do not relate to
athletic performance, besides not addressing the
meaningfulness of the results (using specially-featured
statistics) to actual sports settings.
In one of the first studies on this topic, Kraemer et al.
(1996) showed that volleyball players were better able
to maintain power output during a repeated jump test
while wearing compression shorts compared to control
garments (regular gym shorts); however, maximal jump
power in the best attempt was not altered by the
compression. Compression garments did not demonstrate
benefits in 20-m sprint or countermovement jump
performances in netballers
(Higgins et al. 2009)
. However,
the use of upper body compression garments resulted
in improved accuracy in both baseball pitching and golf
shots
(Hooper et al. 2015)
. Positive changes in
performance could be at least partly attributed to improved
proprioception, which is the awareness of body segments
and position in space, by means of greater sensory
feedback due to the compressive effects of the clothing
(Born
et al. 2013)
.
Supposedly, Paralympic athletes with visual
impairment rely more on proprioception to perform in their
respective sports than their Olympic peers. Therefore,
it can be hypothesized that sprinters with visual
impairment will present benefits from the use of lower limb
compression garments while performing speed–power
tests. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of
using compression garments on unloaded and loaded
vertical jump and sprinting performances, in elite
sprinters with visual impairment.
Methods
Participants
Eight top-level Paralympic sprinters with visual
impairment (6 women and 2 men; class T11) (age:
27.8 ± 6.7 years, weight: 62.2 ± 11.2 kg, and height:
165.9 ± 10.0 cm) who compete in 100- and 200-m races,
from the Brazilian National Team, volunteered to
participate in this study. This elite sample comprised two
world champions, two Paralympic champions, one world
record holder, one Paralympic record holder, seven world
medalists and four Paralympic medalists. In addition,
(...truncated)