Analysis of Predicted Thermal Manikin Physiological Responses when Wearing Compression Gear for American College and Pro-Level Football Athletes

From 2012 to 2019, there were approximately 3455 large-scale National Football League injuries reported. There is widespread commercial acceptance of compression garments as tools for reducing injury, promoting recovery, and improving performance in athletic activity. While studies have been conducted to assess the exercise physiology benefits of compression garments, there remains a gap in the scientific literature regarding the clothing comfort and resultant thermoregulation effects of compression girdles for performance athletes. This study aimed to assess the effects of tighter fitting, multi-layer compression systems when worn by American football athletes. A negative impact on thermoregulation may negate or outweigh any realized local benefit such as increased skin blood flow or reduced muscle oscillatory properties. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine the predicted hypothalamus temperature, skin blood flow, skin temperature, sweat rate, temperature sensation, and comfort perceptions of the male human body when wearing a compression girdle. A sweating thermal manikin was utilized to predict the physiological responses of a 50th percentile male when wearing football girdles in both practice and play settings. The results indicate significant differences in skin blood flow, skin temperature, core temperature, sweat rate, and comfort and sensation perceptions when wearing compression girdles compared to boxer briefs in replicated practice and play settings. Findings also demonstrate the use of real-time manikin simulation modeling for predicting physiological response outcomes of wearing compression garments to a realized extent.