Australian Triathlete – July-August 2017

46 | AustrAliAn triAthlete

recovery. Professional trainers and elite

athletes understand that they recover

faster and perform better after wearing

compression gear such as tights, socks

and calf sleeves.

Compression garments are thought to

improve venous return through the

application of graduated compression to

the limbs from proximal to distal

(Bochmann et al., 2005). The external

pressure created may reduce the

intramuscular space available for swelling

and promote stable alignment of muscle

fibres, attenuating the inflammatory

P

roper recovery is essential

to any training plan to help

prevent overuse injuries, and

sports experts are uncovering

huge gains by implementing smart

recovery techniques.

During training and competition, the

body can be subject to explosive

movements and strain on muscles that

can leave an athlete feeling depleted and

sore. A central factor in recovery is muscle

relaxation and stimulating blood flow,

both to and from the muscles. Massage,

foam rolling, contrast showers and

stretching all help, but wearing 2XU

compression garments also delivers huge

gains – and it takes no extra time or effort.

It’s important for all triathletes to get

their body back to its peak level in the

fastest possible time ahead of the next

training session or event. Many recovery

strategies for elite athletes – including the

use of compression –are based on medical

science, which is traditionally used to treat

lymphatic and circulatory conditions.

Recovery compression should be a

graduated fit to help stimulate blood

circulation for faster muscle repair and

2XU compression

tech talk

coMPreSSIoN

for

recoverY