The effect of the pressure level of sports compression pants on dexterity and movement-related cortical potentials [Les effets des niveaux de pression des pantalons de compression sur les processus de préparation d'un mouvement volontaire]

Abstract

Objectives: The present study sought to determine how basic motor skills, such as agility, and the brain's reaction to perception handling are affected by the pressure level of compression pants. Equipment and methods: Twelve subjects wore three different compression pants and undertook sidestep tests to evaluate agility. For the analysis of movement-related cortical potentials, electroencephalography was conducted while participants performed an exercise involving the pressing of a foot-operated switch in response to randomly repeated sound stimuli. Results: When wearing the CG2 model pants, the pant that applied the highest pressure among the three, enhanced agility (P < 0.042). Further, the amplitude of movement-related cortical potentials increased the most at Fz and Cz (Fz: P = 0.020 and Cz: P = 0.027). While there was no significant statistical difference in response time among the experimental pants, the average time was reduced. It can be conjectured that the pressure the compression pants applies on the skin and muscles affects the nervous system, increasing the agility and activity of motor-related information processing by enhancing the focus on the performance. It was therefore concluded that the pressure level of compression pants is a variable of influence on the motor branch of the nervous system. © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS