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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how compression stockings affect the energetics and biomechanics during walking.Methods: Sixteen male adults participated in this study. Participants completed walking trials on the treadmill and force plates, wearing compression stockings (CS) or nothing as a control condition (CON). The data obtained included metabolic rate, muscle activation, step frequency and step length as well as their variability, joint kinematics and joint kinetics.Results: The effect of compression stockings on metabolic rate was trivial (CS: 3.81 ± 0.44 W kg-1, CON: 3.83 ± 0.46 W kg-1, p = 0.84, d = 0.05). Activation of calf muscles, step frequency and step length as well as their variability, joint range of motion and joint powers did not show a significant difference between conditions (p = 0.09-0.90, d = 0.01-0.34). The peak knee extension moment during the early stance phase had a tendency to increase (CS: 0.57 ± 0.27 N m kg-1, CON: 0.51 ± 0.28 N m kg-1, p = 0.05, d = 0.19) while the peak knee flexion moment during the late swing phase had a tendency to decrease (CS: 0.16 ± 0.10 N m kg-1, CON: 0.19 ± 0.12 N m kg-1, p = 0.10, d = 0.21). The peak ankle dorsiflexion moment during the early stance phase significantly increased (CS: 0.11 ± 0.06 N m kg-1, CON: 0.08 ± 0.05 N m kg-1, p = 0.02, d = 0.58) while the peak ankle plantar flexion moment during the late swing phase significantly decreased (CS: 1.41 ± 0.12 N m kg-1, CON: 1.47 ± 0.14 N m kg-1, p = 0.02, d = 0.45).Conclusions: Compression stockings have a limited effect on improving energetics of walking, but they may play a role in improving biomechanics by altering the relative contribution of knee and ankle moments to propulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of Kinesio taping compared to compression garments during maintenance phase of complex decongestive therapy for breast cancer–related lymphedema. Design: Randomized, cross-over, controlled trial. Setting: Outpatient tertiary-level hospital rehabilitation setting. Subjects: Randomized sample of 30 women with breast cancer–related lymphedema. Interventions: Participants received two interventions, Kinesio taping and compression garment, both lasting four weeks, whose order was randomized by blocks. A four-week washout period was established prior to the interventions and between them. Measurements: The main outcome was the lymphedema Relative Volume Change. Secondary outcomes were range of motion of arm joints, self-perception of comfort, and lymphedema-related symptoms (pain, tightness, heaviness, and hardness). Results: The decrease in the Relative Volume Change was greater in the Kinesio taping intervention (–5.7%, SD = 2.0) compared to that observed using compression garments (–3.4%, SD = 2.9) (P < 0.001). The range of motion of five upper-limb movements increased after applying taping (between 5.8° and 16.7°) (P < 0.05), but not after compression (P > 0.05). In addition, taping was perceived as more comfortable by patients (between 2.4 and 3 points better than compression in four questions with a 5-point scale (P < 0.001)) and further reduced lymphedema-related symptoms compared to compression (between 0.96 and 1.40 points better in four questions with a 6-point scale (P < 0.05)). Conclusion: Kinesio taping was more effective than compression garments for reducing the lymphedema volume, with less severe lymphedema-related symptoms, better improvement of upper-limb mobility, and more comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of kinesio taping compared to compression garment in treatment of early stage breast cancer-associated lymphedema (BCAL). Patients between 18-70-years old who had unilateral stage 1 BCAL were randomized into group I kinesio taping (KT) and group II compression garment (CG) for this single blinded study. KT was applied with a lymphatic correction technique in three-four day intervals for four weeks. At the end of the fourth week, patients were suggested to wear CGs. Patients in group II were treated daily for 23-hours in CGs. Education, preventive measures, and exercises were given to both groups. All patients were evaluated before the treatment (T0), immediate post treatment (T1), and three months after treatment (T2). Circumference differences were measured between the extremities with a nonelastic tape at five levels. Additionally, shoulder range of motion (ROM) was measured, and pain, heaviness, and sensation of tightness were evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS). Thirty-five patients with stage 1 BCAL were included and randomized to the KT (n= 16) and CG (n= 19) groups. Demographic data and baseline clinical characteristics were similar. Both groups had reductions in all levels of arm circumference differences at immediate post-treatment and three months after treatment. Pain, tightness, and heaviness scores significantly decreased for both groups at immediate post-treatment and third month. Patients in the KT group had significantly lower pain sores than patients in the CG group. Results demonstrated that both modalities had similar effects in the treatment of early stage BCAL. For patients with early stage BCAL, KT can be an alternative treatment to CG for patients who have difficulties in obtaining and wearing CGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the effects of wearing compression garments on joint mechanics, soft tissue vibration and muscle activities during drop jumps. Methods: Twelve healthy male athletes were recruited to execute drop jumps from heights of 30, 45 and 60 cm whilst wearing compression shorts (CS) and control shorts (CON). Sagittal plane kinematics, ground reaction forces, accelerations of the quadriceps femoris (QF), hamstrings (HM) and shoe heel-cup, and electromyography images of the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) were collected. Results: Compared with wearing CON, wearing CS significantly reduced the QF peak acceleration at 45 and 60 cm and the HM peak acceleration at 30 cm. Wearing CS significantly increased the damping coefficient for QF and HM at 60 cm compared with wearing CON. Moreover, the peak transmissibility when wearing CS was significantly lower than that when wearing CON for all soft tissue compartments and heights, except for QF at 30 cm. Wearing CS reduced the RF activity during the pre-, post-, and eccentric activations for all heights and concentric activations at 45 cm; it also reduced the BF activity during post- and eccentric activations at 30 and 60 cm, respectively. The hip and knee joint moments and power or jump height were unaffected by the garment type. Conclusion: Applying external compression can reduce soft tissue vibrations without compromising neuromuscular performance during strenuous physical activities that involve exposure to impact-induced vibrations.

The utilization of compression garments (CGs) has demonstrated the potential to improve athletic performance; however, the specific mechanisms underlying this enhancement remain a subject of further investigation. This study aimed to examine the impact of CGs on running mechanics and muscle synergies from a neuromuscular control perspective. Twelve adult males ran on a treadmill at 12 km/h, while data pertaining to lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and electromyography were collected under two clothing conditions: whole leg compression garments and control. The Non-negative matrix factorization algorithm was employed to extract muscle synergy during running, subsequently followed by cluster analysis and correlation analysis. The findings revealed that the CGs increased knee extension and reduced hip flexion at foot strike compared with the control condition. Moreover, CGs were found to enhance stance-phase peak knee extension, while diminishing hip flexion and maximal hip extension during the stance-phase, and the ankle kinematics remained unaltered. We extracted and classified six synergies (SYN1-6) during running and found that only five SYNs were observed after wearing CGs. CGs altered the structure of the synergies and changed muscle activation weights and durations. The current study is the first to apply muscle synergy to discuss the effect of CGs on running biomechanics. Our findings provide neuromuscular evidence for the idea of previous studies that CGs alter the coordination of muscle groups, thereby affecting kinematic characteristics during running., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yang, Yang, Xu, Zhang, Lake and Fu.)

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of an upper body compression garment (UBCG) on thermoregulatory responses during cycling in a controlled laboratory thermoneutral environment (~23°C). A secondary aim was to determine the cardiovascular and perceptual responses when wearing the garment. Sixteen untrained participants (age: 21.3 ± 5.7 years; peak oxygen consumption (VO 2peak): 50.88 ± 8.00 mL/min/kg; mean ± SD) performed 2 cycling trials in a thermoneutral environment (~23°C) wearing either UBCG or control (Con) garment. Testing consisted of a 5-min rest on a cycle ergometer, followed by 4 bouts of cycling for 14-min at ~50%VO 2peak , with 1-min rest between each bout. At the end of these bouts there was 10-min of passive recovery. During the entire protocol rectal temperature (T rec), skin temperature (T skin), mean body temperature (T body), and heat storage (HS) were measured. Heart rate (HR), VO 2 , pH, hematocrit (Hct), plasma electrolytes, weight loss (W loss), and perceptual responses were also measured. There were no significant differences between garments for T skin , HS, HR, VO 2 , pH, Hct, plasma electrolyte concentration, W loss , and perceptual responses during the trial. T rec did not differ between garment conditions during rest, exercise, or recovery although a greater reduction in T rec wearing UBCG (p = 0.01) was observed during recovery. Lower T body during recovery was found when wearing UBCG (36.82°C ± 0.30°C vs. 36.99°C ± 0.24°C). Wearing a UBCG did not benefit thermoregulatory, cardiovascular, and perceptual responses during exercise although it was found to lower T body during recovery, which suggests that it could be used as a recovery tool after exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Compression therapy (CT) has been an important, but debated, treatment for burn scars. To better understand one source of variation in observed outcomes after CT, an evaluation of CT timing of application is needed.Materials and Methods: Following IRB approval, 126 burn centers were contacted to complete a 17-question survey regarding the center's practice pattern for compression garment therapy. Locally, study subjects were identified between March 1, 2014 and December 31, 2015 and medical records examined for timing of garment ordering, delivery and fitting.Results: The majority believed that compression therapy is beneficial. Most centers reported using custom-fit and pre-fabricated garments, and a goal time of application between 2-4 weeks (42%) and 4-6 weeks (36%). After the garments are ordered, 61% of centers estimate that it takes 2-4 weeks for them to arrive. No significant differences in practices were found among centers treating pediatric patients only, adults only or both. Locally, the mean number of weeks between the date of original injury and garment order placement was 9.1 weeks with an additional 8.7 weeks between the date of order and date of delivery.Conclusions: The current study identified that although the national reporting of time to garment application is estimated to be between 2-6 weeks at the majority of burn centers including our own, we found our center to be well in excess of 17 weeks. The findings offer an opportunity for local improvement, and raise the possibility of similar incongruity between goals and practice at other centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research has been conducted to develop mathematical models to predict the compression pressure and strain value of fabric based on Laplace's law. The experiment was designed in accordance with the strain values of stretched fabric in order to make prediction of compression pressure. The fabrics covered on rigid cylindrical models and thigh part of human body were compared and measured for pressure values using compression tester. The results revealed that pressure values on rigid body were overestimated which may result from the cause of sensor thickness. Later, correction factor was included in calculations in order to get rid of the overestimated pressure. It was also found that predicted pressures were close to the ones being measured on rigid body by compression tester after multiplying with the correction factor, while soft tissue surface had no influential effect on pressure perturbation and pressure-measured values were close to the predicted pressure values obtained from modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to investigate the comparative effect of compression sleeves, rest and active recovery on performance and immediate recovery from high-intensity cycling performance (HICP). Eight recreationally trained male cyclists completed three trials, each separated by one week. Each trial consisted of two 10-min high intensity exercise task (30-20-10 s maximal HICP bouts with 3 min 1 W/kg recovery) separated by application one of the three 24-min recovery strategies (active -- cycling 1W/kg, ACT; passive -- supine position, PAS; passive -- sitting with compression sleeves; PAS+CS). Applied recovery strategy effectiveness was assessed via changes in blood lactate clearance (LA), acid-base changes and performance parameters (fatigue index, FI; peak power, PP and relative peak power). Fatigue index was significantly improved by ACT for 30s and 20s HICP. There was a significant decrease in FI for PAS + CS (p = 0.041) and PAS (p = 0.026) showing a negative impact of PAS + CS and PAS for keeping PP during 10s task. The rate of decrease in plasma LA concentration over the 24-min recovery period was significantly higher in ACT (0.50 ± 0.1 mmol/min) compared to PAS and PAS+CS (0.31 ± 0.07 mmol/l, p = 0.001, 0.37 ± 0.09 mmol/min, p = 0.024, respectively). The passive recovery strategies decreased the ability of keeping repeated maximal intensity cycling performance in contrast to active recovery. The use of compression calf sleeves has no significant additional effect on plasma lactate clearance after high intensity anaerobic exercise above resting condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Compression devices have been shown to reduce venous stasis, increase blood flow and skin tissue oxygenation (StO2), promoting healthy tissue. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of a new compression garment in three different positions in healthy adults. Methods: In this quantitative study, potential participants were screened and recruited using the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q, Canada). Participants attended three separate, one-hour sessions to evaluate StO2 in supine-lying, chair-sitting and long-sitting positions. StO2 was recorded for 20 minutes pre-, during and post- a 20-minute intervention using a compression garment, TributeWrap (Lohmann-Rauscher, Germany). A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was followed by post-hoc pairwise comparisons. Results: A total of 28 healthy volunteers took part (aged 24.6 ±8.4years; 13 males, 15 females). A significant difference was seen between the three positions (p<0.001). Chair-sitting had the lowest StO2 pre-intervention, increasing StO2 significantly (32.25%, p<0.001) during wear of the compression garment (24.8% higher than baseline post-intervention). No significant difference was seen between long sitting and supine-lying (p=1.000). In contrast, long-sitting and supine-lying StO2 was higher pre-intervention compared with chair-sitting and only increased post-intervention (11% and 16.8% respectively, p<0.001) compared with baseline. Conclusion: The compression garment significantly increased StO2 levels in both seating positions. Further studies are required to determine if increasing StO2 through short intervention sessions with this device has the potential to improve self-management of tissue health in individuals with reduced mobility, oedema or venous insufficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interdisciplinary approach for the design of compression garments was developed by means of establishing new databases about the elongation of knitted materials, the morphology of female bodies, and the relations between both with the pressure under the garment. We used KES-FB1 and a cylinder made of cosmetology silicone to investigate the relationship between the knitted material strain and the pressure produced. To find the factors that are responsible for comfort perception of compression garments, a sensory analysis with female participants was used to establish the pressure range that is permissible for the human body and the effect of its reshaping. The experimental data obtained was used for validating the theoretical approaches about, firstly, the transformation of a solid polygonal avatar of the scanned body to the soft one, secondly, the virtual three-dimensional (3D) creation of a compression garment in a "relaxed non-elongation state" and, thirdly, obtaining virtual two-dimensional (2D) pattern blocks. Science explorations dedicated to 3D-to-2D flattening of pattern blocks of the avatar surface and to the creation of tight-fitted garments were considered as the background of our research. Several compression garments for females with different morphological features, which were designing by means of a new 3D-to-2D method for flattening of pattern blocks and the traditional 2D "Müller and Sohn" manual, were obtained. The mean value of absolute difference between the predicted and measured pressure was improved from 33% to 14%. Thus, the developed approach based on contemporary virtual reality collection of input data allows one to predict the pressure of compression garments with higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper applies the topology optimization (TO) technique to the design of custom compression casts/braces on two-manifold mesh surfaces. Conventional braces or casts, usually made of plaster or fiberglass, have the drawbacks of being heavy and unventilated to wear. To reduce the weight and improve the performance of a custom brace, TO methods are adopted to optimize the geometry of the brace in the three-dimensional (3D) space, but they are computationally expensive. Based on our observation that the brace has a much smaller thickness compared to other dimensions and the applied loads are normal forces, this paper presents a novel TO method based on thin plate elements on the two-dimensional manifold (2-manifold) surfaces instead of 3D solid elements. Our working pipeline starts from a 3D scan of a human body represented by a 2-manifold mesh surface, which is the base design domain for the custom brace. Similar to the concept of isoparametric representation, the 3D design domain is mapped onto a two-dimensional (2D) parametric domain. An Finite Element Analysis (FEA) with bending moments is performed on the parameterized 2D design domain, and the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method is applied to optimize the pattern in the parametric domain. After the optimized cast/brace is obtained on the 2-manifold mesh surface, a solid model is generated by our design interface and then sent to a 3D printer for fabrication. Compared with the optimization method with solid elements, our method is more efficient and controllable due to the high efficiency of solving FEA in the 2D domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been recognized that the cross-sectional curvatures of lower extremities directly influence pressure magnitudes and distributions exerted by compression garments. In the practice of compression therapy, higher peak pressures produced by compression shells occurred at anatomic sites with smaller radius of curvatures and led to side effects and discomfort perception. An effective and operational method to determine leg curvature properties in order to predict pressure performances is desirable to improve comfort and mechanical function of compression garment. By employing three-dimensional (3D) digital anthropometry and two-dimensional (2D) digital image simulation, the curvatures and radius of curvatures of a total of 300 cross-sectional slices involving 1200 anatomic sites along the lower limbs were determined onto the ten healthy female subjects when they were and were not wearing compression stockings. Based on the determined cross-sectional characteristics, the skin pressures were calculated using the circumference-based and the radius of curvature-based Laplace's equations, respectively, which were further validated against the experimental skin pressures measured by a PicoPress transducer. This study provided quantitative evidence in the exploration of the working mechanisms of uneven pressures produced by compression garments, and established a standardized method to determine cross-section-related curvature characteristics for pressure assessment and prediction, which will contribute to improving user compliance of compression garments in long-term wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compression garments are widely used by athletes to improve athletic performance and to avoid potential injuries. Some compression garments are developed to exert pressure on muscle groups via thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) membrane layers laminated on the textile surface. This study investigates the effect of novel TPU membrane patterns on muscle performance of the lower extremities and on the comfort parameters of air and water vapor permeability. Three novel running leggings with TPU membrane compression zones were designed to exert pressure on the major muscle groups used during running. Electromyography (EMG) measurements of the female participants wearing the designed leggings with TPU membranes, conventional leggings and shorts were recorded during a standardized squat protocol via a wireless surface EMG system. A repeated measures analysis of variance with a Greenhouse–Geisser correction determined that the mean root of mean square values for the EMG signals retrieved from the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius and hamstring muscles while wearing a specific legging design revealed statistically significant reductions in muscle activation. On the other hand, comfort tests exhibited low water vapor permeability and air permeability results when the textile surface was laminated with the TPU membrane. TPU membranes laminated on athletic wear to create compression zones could be effective in reducing muscle activation. Comfort performance is another essential design parameter that should be integrated into the design decisions. Large surfaces of solid TPU membranes should be minimized and surface textures should be employed for increased breathability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft robotics, soft artificial muscles and smart textiles are on the rise to compete with their rigid counterparts in the fields of wearable technologies and medical applications owing largely to their improved compliance characteristics. This paper introduces a smart textile created by weaving a hydraulic artificial muscle for a wearable application. To capture the inherent nonlinear hysteresis of the developed smart woven textile, we propose a simple hysteresis model and implement a feedforward compensation scheme and an adaptive controller. Both control strategies significantly reduced the output elongation tracking errors, demonstrating up to 90% improvement in the case of adaptive control compared to the uncompensated system. We also present the development of a portable smart compression device to overcome the shortcomings of current compression devices to provide treatment for people with venous disease or compromised peripheral blood flow. While current compression devices are passive, difficult to put on/take off, slow to compress or noisy and bulky, our smart compression device is easy to wear, compact and portable, with low energy consumption and can be easily controlled with a smartphone application via Bluetooth connection. The smart compression device operated at 18% strain and took 5 s to complete each compression cycle. We also demonstrate the proof-of-concept of incorporating a soft contact force sensor and other electronic components into the smart textile structure for extra functionality. This work contributes to the advancement of soft robotic technologies, wearable electronics and smart wearables for medical applications. [Display omitted] • Woven hydraulic artificial muscle or smart textile for wearable device. • Tracking output by nonlinear hysteresis model, feedforward and adaptive controllers. • Compact and portable smart compression device for compression therapy. • Users can control the smart compression device with a smartphone via Bluetooth. • Smart textile is capable of incorporating electronics for extra functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Compression garments (CGs) are an adjuvant treatment for generalized joint hypermobility (GJH), including the Ehlers–Danlos syndrome/hypermobility types. The effects of CGs are likely to be related to better proprioceptive control. We aimed to explore the use of CGs in individuals with autism and severe proprioceptive dysfunction (SPD), including individuals with GJH, to control posture and challenging behaviors. (2) Methods: We retrospectively described 14 patients with autism and SPD, including seven with comorbid GJH, who were hospitalized for major challenging behaviors with remaining behavioral symptomatology after the implementation of multidisciplinary approaches, including medication, treatment of organic comorbidities, and behavioral restructuring. Each patient received a CG to wear for at least 1 h (but most often longer) per day for six weeks. We assessed challenging behaviors in these participants with the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), sensory integration with the Dunn questionnaire, and postural sway and motor performance using a self-designed motricity path at baseline, two weeks, and six weeks. (3) Results: We observed a significant effect on most ABC rating scores at two weeks, which persisted at six weeks (total score, p = 0.004; irritability, p = 0.007; hyperactivity, p = 0.001; lethargy, p = 0.001). Postural control in dorsal and profile positions was significantly improved between before and after wearing the CGs (p = 0.006 and 0.007, respectively). Motor performance was also significantly improved. However, we did not observe a significant change in Dunn sensory scores. During the six-week duration, the treatment was generally well-tolerated. A comorbid GJH diagnosis was not associated with a better outcome. (4) Conclusions: CGs appear to be a promising adjuvant treatment for both behavioral and postural impairments in individuals with autism and SPD.

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in electromyographic activity with the use of gradual compression stockings (GCSs) on middle-distance endurance athletes’ performance, based on surface electromyography measurement techniques. Sixteen well-trained athletes were recruited (mean ± SD: age 33.4 ± 6.3 years, VO2max 63.7 ± 6.3 mL·kg−1·min−1, maximal aerobic speed 19.7 ± 1.5 km·h). The athletes were divided into two groups and were assigned in a randomized order to their respective groups according to their experience with the use of GCSs. Initially, a maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) test was performed to standardize the athletes’ running speeds for subsequent tests. Afterward, electromyographic activity, metabolic, and performance variables for each group were measured with surface electromyography. In addition, blood lactate concentration was measured, both with and without GCSs, during 10 min at 3% above VT2 (second ventilatory threshold), all of which were performed on the track. Next, surface electromyography activity was measured during a 1 km run at maximum speed. No significant changes were found in electromyography activity, metabolic and performance variables with GCSs use (p > 0.164) in any of the variables measured. Overall, there were no performance benefits when using compression garments against a control condition.