The Effect Of Intermittent Pneumatic Leg Compression On Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Treatment for Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which often leads to impaired muscular performance remains debatable. Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) is purportedly effective for mitigating DOMS. PURPOSE: Our aim was to compare IPC to a traditional recovery protocol. METHODS: 22 college age students (11 ♂, age 21.4 ± 1.8 yrs, height 171 ± 10 cm, body mass 75.6 ± 11 kgs) volunteered to perform a pre-test of single leg volume (SLV) measurement by water displacement and leg circumference (LC) at 5, 10, 15, and 20 cm distal to the tibial tuberosity, a SL vertical jump, and a Likert Soreness Scale. All subjects performed SL plantar flexion at 60% of body mass to momentary muscular failure (MMF), followed by SL eccentric plantar flexion with a 40% increase in loading to MMF at a 3:1:3 cadence. All measures were repeated immediately and 24, 48, and 72 hrs post. Following pre-test, all subjects were randomly assigned to 20 min of recovery by IPC or cycling at 50 watts (C). RESULTS: Statistical analysis by factorial ANOVA revealed no significant difference in LC, SLV, and VJ for any assessment (p < .05). - Day Vertical Jump immediate 24 hr 48 hr 72 hr Volume DOMS C IPC C IPC C IPC C IPC C IPC C IPC C IPC Base 7.8 (5.3) 9.7 (4.4) 35.9(3.1) 36.1 (3.0) 36.1 (3.0) 36.7(2.9) 32.2 ∓ (3.4) 33.2(3.1) 27.8(3.2) 28.7(3.6) 2.8 (.70) 3.1(.62) N/A N/A Im Post N/A N/A 36.4(3.0) 36.5(3.1) 36.7(3.1) 37.1 (3.2) 32.6(3.5) 33.5(3.1) 27.8(3.0) 28.4(2.7) N/A N/A N/A N/A Post Tr 8.1 (5.2) 9.1(4.3) 36.0 (3.1) 35.7(3.1) 36.0(3.2) 36.6 (2.8) 32.3(3.5) 32.9(3.1) 27.5(3.0) 28.1(2.6) 2.8(.58) 3.1(.64) .83(1.2) .55(.94) 24 8.2 (5.3) 9.9(4.7) 35.9(3.0) 36.2(2.8) 36.0(3.0) 36.7 (3.0) 32.5(3.2) 32.5(3.2) 27.7(2.7) 27.9 (3.1) 2.9(.65) 3.0(.71) 1.87(1.1) 1.6(1.3) 48 8.3(5.3) 9.6 (4.9) 35.8 2(.9) 36.4(3.0) 36.3(2.8) 36.3 2(.7) 32.6(3.6) 32.22(.6) 28.13(.2) 27.5(2.2) 2.9(.57) 3.1(.64) 1.2.(70) 2.1(1.6) 72 8.8 5(.1) 9.9(4.6) 35.72(.6) 36.72(.6) 36.12(.9) 36.52(.2) 32.3 (3.5) 32.1(2.8) 27.9(3.1) 27.42(.4) 2.9(.67) 3.05(.54) .69(.9) .90(1.0) CONCLUSION: The induction of DOMS was effective and it progressively increased over time, however IPC did not alter the time course for recovery from that of active cycling. These findings indicate that IPC is ineffective to reduce swelling, improve performance or mitigate the DOMS response.