Compression Tights Do Not Influence Lower-Body Soft Tissue Movement in Males During Sprinting, Jumping and Change-of-Direction Tasks

Background/Objectives: The movement and vibration of the body’s soft tissues during dynamic exercise are mechanisms that attenuate force from ground impacts. However, repeated exposure to such vibrations over time can contribute to the development of lower-body soreness and/or injuries. The previous literature has established the benefit of compression garments for the minimisation of soft tissue movement during running, though little is known about this mechanism during other forms of dynamic exercise. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of compression tights on lower-body soft tissue movement during jumping, sprinting and change-of-direction tasks typical of those found in team sports. Methods: In a randomised crossover design, twelve recreationally active males (age 26 ± 2 years) completed countermovement jumps, drop jumps from 45 cm, 10 m straight line sprints and change-of-direction tasks wearing either commercially available sports compression tights or regular exercise tights. Marker-based motion capture was used to quantify soft tissue displacement at the thigh and calf and lower-body kinematic variables during the exercise tasks. Results: No significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed between conditions for soft tissue displacement at the thigh and calf and performance variables for all tasks. There were significant (p = 0.003) differences in peak knee flexion and hip flexion during the 10 m sprint and change-of-direction task between conditions; however, effect sizes were unclear. Conclusions: Compression tights do not appear to influence soft tissue movement or performance during sports-specific forms of locomotion but may alter some kinematic aspects of sprinting and change-of-direction tasks compared with regular exercise tights.