CONTEXT: Compression socks have become increasingly popular with athletes due to perceived enhancement of exercise performance and recovery. However, research examining the efficacy of compression socks to reduce exercise-associated muscle damage has been equivocal, with few direct measurements of markers of muscle damage. OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of compression socks worn during a marathon on creatine kinase (CK) levels. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. SETTING: 2013 Hartford Marathon, Hartford, CT. PARTICIPANTS: Adults (n = 20) randomized to control (control; n = 10) or compression sock (sock; n = 10) groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood samples were collected 24 hours before, immediately after, and 24 hours following the marathon for the analysis of CK, a marker of muscle damage. RESULTS: Baseline CK levels did not differ between control (89.3 (41.2) U/L) and sock (100.0 (56.2) U/L) (p = 0.63). Immediately following the marathon (<= 1 h), CK increased 273% from baseline (p < 0.001 for time), with no difference in exercise-induced changes in CK from baseline between control (+293.9 (278.2) U/L) and sock (+233.1 (225.3) U/L; p = 0.60 for time x group). The day following the marathon (<= 24 h), CK further increased 1094% from baseline (p < 0.001 for time), with no difference in changes in CK from baseline between control (+1,191.9 (1,194.8) U/L) and sock (+889.1 (760.2) U/L; p = 0.53 for time x group). These similar trends persisted despite controlling for potential covariates such as age, body mass index, and race finishing time (ps > 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: Compression socks worn during a marathon do not appear to mitigate objectively measured markers of muscle damage immediately following and 24 hours after a marathon.
Copyright Human Kinetics. Reprinted with permission from Human Kinetics (Champaign, IL).

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