Belmont SURFS

The Efficacy of an Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Prototype on Volumetric Displacement in Recreational Runners

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common side effect many recreational and competitive athletes experience when training 1. The mechanism of DOMS is not fully understood; however, high intensity exercise, long durations of activity along with new and uncommon movement patterns are known to induce DOMS 2 1.

During exercise, lower extremities are known to have an increased volumetric change which includes the accumulation of blood, lactic acid, and lymphatic fluid 4 15 16. Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices are theorized to mimic the pumping of leg muscles and direct the lymphatic fluid towards the lymph nodes. This allows the lymphatic fluid to be re-absorbed more efficiently. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an (IPC) prototype on DOMS and specifically if the IPC device caused a significant difference in the reabsorption of lymphatic fluid.

Many previously studied IPC devices cover the entire leg. This new prototype is a smaller, more portable device that only covers the calf. I hypothesize that the smaller device will have no significant effect on the reabsorption rate in the lower extremity calf region. This is theorized that the device may not be effective enough to help the lymphatic fluid reach the inguinal lymph nodes which are one of the major lymphatic groups responsible for drainage of the inferior limbs14. A single-blinded randomized control trial targeting recreational runners was used. No significant differences were seen between or within groups in the volumetric displacement measurements.