Effects of forearm compression sleeves for recovery of finger flexor muscles in sports climbing

Introduction
Wearing compression garments is a commonly used intervention in sports in attempt to improve performance and facilitate recovery. There is evidence that compression garments are effective in enhancing recovery from muscle damage. Forearm compression may improve muscle tissue oxygenation in finger flexor muscles and, therewith, enhance recovery processes after exhausting sports climbing. However, evidence on the effect of compression garments on recovery in sports climbing is still lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate immediate effects of wearing forearm compression sleeves during an exhausting sports climbing task and a subsequent 2 h recovery period on muscular strength and endurance of finger flexor muscles in sports climbers.
Method
In a randomized controlled trial with a parallel group design, thirty sports climbers (female: n = 15; male: n = 15) performed first a familiarization trial and subsequently a test trial either with compression forearm sleeves (COMP), non-compressive placebo forearm sleeves (PLAC), or without forearm sleeves (CON). Test trials consisted of the performance measurements intermittent hand grip strength and intermittent finger hang before (PRE) and after a combination of lap climbing until exhaustion and a following two hours resting recovery period (POST). Creatine kinase (CK) was used as a physiological stress parameter. Additionally, maximum blood lactate (Lamax), maximum heart rate (HRmax), rate of perceived exertion (BORG scale), and forearm muscle pain (VAS scale) were determined directly after the exhaustive lap climbing trials. We further assessed the lactate clearing rate (CR) as well as the perceived recovery status (PRS scale) during the resting recovery period.
Results
The exhaustive lap climbing followed by two hours of a resting recovery period resulted in significantly lower performance in the sports climbing-specific intermittent finger hang test, represented by the maximal number of repetitions (PRE: 23.2 ± 16.0, POST: 18.8 ± 11.3; p ≤ 0.001, d = 6.826) and the time to failure (PRE: 281.6 ± 193.6, POST: 224.8 ± 135.6 s; p ≤ 0.001, d = 80.053). We also found higher CK values after the lap climbing plus following recovery period (PRE: 241.1 ± 273.2, POST: 318.4 ± 332.0 U/L; p = 0.010, d = 172.727), but none of the climbing-unspecific intermittent hand grip strength measurements were affected. Additionally, no group differences between conditions (COMP, PLAC, CON) occurred, neither for any of the performance parameters in intermittent hand grip strength and intermittent finger hang tests, nor for CK, Lamax, CR or the BORG, VAS, and PRS scales (p ≤ 0.05). The only difference between conditions was found for HRmax (p = 0.010, ηp2 = 0.395) during lap climbing, with lower values occurring in CON (133.6 ± 13.1) compared to COMP (157.1 ± 12.0) and PLAC (153.7 ± 15.3 bpm).
Discussion
Forearm compression sleeves and placebo sleeves resulted in higher maximum heart rates during exhaustive lap climbing, potentially confirming an increase of heart rate due to compression garments and heat (placebo sleeves) reported in earlier studies. However, wearing forearm compression sleeves during exercise and recovery did neither enhance sports climbing-specific intermittent finger hang task nor climbing-unspecific intermittent hand grip strength parameters, physiological responses or perceptual measures subsequently. These findings suggest that the use of forearm compression garments may not improve recovery processes in recreational sports climbers after a lap climbing performance task to exhaustion.
References
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