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March 9, 2010 | Comments: 1

Can Compression Shorts Improve Athletic Performance?

Compression shorts sell well to exercisers looking for anything that might improve their game or workout or help prevent injuries, and that’s what the marketers promise. Is there any support for these shorts?

Browse through a sporting-goods store or catalogue, or simply look around a gym or health club, and you’re likely to see the thick, stretchy shorts and tights (and sometimes tops) known as compression clothing. Sort of a cross between skintight bike shorts and a girdle, they are super snug—typically 15% smaller than your regular size—and made of bands that hug muscles, thighs, buttocks, and calves. Compression shorts come in various lengths, but are usually mid-thigh and worn under regular shorts. They became a mini-craze a decade ago when they were seen peeking out beneath the uniforms of some professional basketball players. Never underestimate the selling power of elite athletes.

The claim is that compression shorts reduce the risk of certain injuries by keeping muscles warm, supporting them, and increasing blood flow to them, and that they also enhance performance.

In recent years these claims have been put to the test, but only in small studies, mostly involving high-end athletes. At Ball State University in Indiana, for instance, track athletes who wore compression shorts not only had warmer muscles and improved muscle function and stability, but could also jump higher. In Australia, cyclists who wore compression tights had less lactic acid in their blood (indicating less muscle fatigue) than when they wore regular gear. And in a French study, the tights slightly improved results in an intense 15-minute run.

It’s not entirely clear why compression shorts might help—and for what kinds of activities. They may actually be detrimental for some activities. Any benefit is likely to be small, especially for most recreational athletes 
and exercisers. The benefit may be, in part, psychological—if you think something will help, it may help psych you up.

As for the feel, some people find that compression shorts cause less friction and chafing than conventional gear. Others find that the tight material traps heat and oil next to the skin and promotes inflammation of hair follicles. Styles, materials, and brands vary in their degree of compression, fit, feel, and ability to “wick” away moisture.

Bottom (and we mean bottom) line: This is a matter of personal preference. If you like the way compression shorts feel and look, and you think they make you perform more like a pro, they may help and be worth the price ($25 and up).

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