Effect of Compression Stockings on Developing Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound, Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse, and MRI

Introduction: To investigate the influence of compression stockings on changes in muscle perfusion, stiffness, and edema in delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

Material and Methods: DOMS of the calf muscles was induced in 15 healthy subjects using an eccentric exercise protocol. After exercise, a compression stocking (class I) was worn on one randomly selected calf for 60 hours.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (peak enhancement [PE], wash-in area under the curve [WIAUC]), acoustic radiation force impulse (shear wave velocities [SWVs]), and magnetic resonance imaging (normalized T2 signal intensity, T2 time) of the medial gastrocnemius muscle (GM) were assessed at baseline and 60 hours after exercise at both calves.

Results: After exercise the normalized T2 signal intensity (p = 0.008) and the T2 time (p = 0.015) were significantly higher in the GM in the compressed calf, but no change for WIAUC (p = 0.88), PE (p = 0.51), and SWV (p = 0.60) was observed.

The normalized T2 signal intensity (p = 0.001), the T2 time (p = 0.005), and the SWV (p = 0.008) changed significantly in the noncompressed calf. No change for WIAUC (p = 0.12) and PE (p = 0.06) occurred.

No significant difference was observed in normalized T2 signal intensity (p = 0.40), T2 time value (p = 0.95), WIAUC (p = 0.93), and PE (p = 0.73) in the GM comparing the compressed and noncompressed lower leg after exercise. Only SWV values revealed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: Wearing conventional calf compression stockings after inducing lower extremity DOMS may shorten the normalization of muscle stiffness, but it has no significant effect on the degree of intramuscular edema or perfusion of the GM.