Compression Wear Enhances Gaming

Over the last couple of years, many esports professionals have started to expand their focus from gaming gear and equipment (e.g., headsets, controllers, ergonomic chairs) to performance wear that enhances the experience. A particular type of gaming wear that is quickly gaining momentum as an important commodity for professional gamers and esports enthusiasts is the compression garment. 

According to research, compression that applies about 15 mmHg of pressure can help boost blood flow and reduce the levels of lactic acid, also known as lactate [1]. Lactic acid is a substance produced by muscle tissue in response to exertion. Increased levels of lactic acid in the blood usually signal muscle fatigue due to exercise. Reduced levels of lactic acid help enhance muscle stamina by prolonging the amount of time it takes for muscles to become fatigued.

Wearing compression garments—including compression sleeves on both arms or the arm primarily used for gaming—during or after exercise supports optimal blood flow and muscle performance [1].

Additional Benefits of Compression Garments

In addition to promoting improved circulation, compression garments afford several other health benefits that include the following [2-5]:

1. Increased recovery muscle blood flow – Increased blood circulation sends deoxygenated blood back to the heart faster, which helps oxygen-rich blood return to muscles more rapidly. This process lessens muscle fatigue.
2. Heightened muscle warm-up – The use of compression garments gently raises skin temperature, which helps the muscles warm up.
3. Improved muscle stability – Compression garments provide stability by reducing excess muscle vibration during vigorous activity. This type of enhanced stability helps prevent microscopic muscle tears—making recovery easier.
4. Faster recovery times – By boosting the clearance of lactic acid in the blood and reducing the incidence of microscopic muscle tears, compression garments support a faster recovery. 
5. Heightened muscle support – The combination of enhanced blood flow, reduced levels of lactic acid, and fewer muscle tears leads to an increase in overall performance—making compression garments beneficial both during or after gaming sessions.
6. Reduced impact of delayed onset muscle soreness – Soreness following strenuous activity is linked to inflammation and swelling caused by microscopic muscle tears. While this is a normal part of the recovery process, soreness can reduce performance or disrupt gaming sessions (e.g., missed sessions). Compression garments help minimize soreness, inflammation, and swelling by lowering the risk of microscopic muscle tears.

Based on these findings, the use of compression garments in a wide variety of sports—including esports—is becoming increasing popular. As research regarding the influence of compression garments on muscle health continues, additional benefits may also be discovered. 

Compression Garments Enhance Proprioception

Proprioception refers to the way an individual perceives the position and movement of the body (e.g., balance, control, coordination). Compression garments appear to improve proprioception as demonstrated by improved accuracy and movement speed for athletes who regularly wear such clothing [6]. 

It is believed that compression garments (e.g., compression sleeves) enhance responses to proprioceptive cues, which are described as mental images and other sensory cues that cause individuals to modify their behavior or movements in ways that heighten performance [6]. This process also appears to improve comfort during physical activity.

Overall, research shows that compression is useful toward extending gaming sessions with less muscle fatigue and faster recovery times.

References

1. Sperlich B, Born DP, Kaskinoro K, et al. Squeezing the muscle: compression clothing and muscle metabolism during recovery from high intensity exercise. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e60923-e60943.
2. Born DP, Sperlich B, Holmberg HC. Bringing light into the dark: effects of compression clothing on performance and recovery. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2013;8(1):4-18.
3. Goto K, Morishima T. Compression garment promotes muscular strength recovery after resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46(12):2265-2270. 
4. Kraemer WJ, Flanagan SD, Comstock BA, et al. Effects of a whole-body compression garment on markers of recovery after a heavy resistance workout in men and women. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(3):804-814.
5. Pearce AJ, Kidgell DJ, Grikepelis LA, et al. Wearing a sports compression garment on the performance of visuomotor tracking following eccentric exercise: a pilot study. J Sci Med Sport. 2009;12(4):500-502.
6. Hooper DR, Dulkis LL, Secola PJ, et al. Roles of an Upper-Body Compression Garment on Athletic Performances. J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(9):2655-2660.