Compression therapy for athletes – How does it support preparation and recovery?
If you train regularly — whether running, cycling, team sports or CrossFit — you know that feeling when taking the stairs after a workout is uncomfortable. Muscle soreness, heavy legs, and tight, sensitive muscles all signal that your body worked hard and now needs rest and recovery. This is where compression therapy comes in — a method increasingly used by athletes to support preparation and recovery.
But does it really work? What do the scientific studies say? And how can you use it at home? I look for answers to these questions in this article.
What happens in your muscles during and after exercise?
When you exercise, your muscles sustain tiny injuries. Don’t be alarmed — this is completely normal and is what triggers adaptation and strengthening. The problem begins when these microtears are accompanied by inflammation, swelling and pain. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Think of your muscles as a construction site. Exercise tears down old walls so new ones can be built. But the debris — metabolic waste and inflammatory mediators — must be removed from the area so the workers can get to work. Compression therapy can help with exactly that.
How does compression therapy work?
The essence of compression therapy is applying pressure to your limbs to support venous return and lymphatic circulation. There are two main types.
One is static compression, which you know from compression socks and stockings. These apply a continuous, even pressure.
The other is intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC), where an appliance’s air-filled chambers alternately inflate and deflate around your limbs.
IPC devices — for example pressotherapy boots — produce a wave-like massage from the foot toward the thigh. This wave motion effectively supports the flow of lymphatic fluid and venous blood back toward the heart.¹
What does the research say?
The scientific literature increasingly examines the effects of compression therapy on sports performance and recovery. Let’s see what researchers have found!
Reduction in perceived pain
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis that pooled 17 studies and data from 319 participants found that lower-limb intermittent pneumatic compression can reduce muscle soreness and perceived fatigue to a small-to-moderate degree.¹
Another randomized controlled trial published in 2025 reported that compression treatment — although it did not significantly improve neuromuscular function — consistently reduced participants’ subjective pain perception.²
Markers of muscle damage
Compression therapy applied after high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may favorably influence molecular markers of muscle damage. Martin and colleagues’ 2017 study found that concomitant pneumatic compression reduced markers of proteolysis (protein breakdown) in skeletal muscle.³
Improved blood circulation
A 2023 meta-analysis showed that compression devices increase venous blood flow both at rest and during exercise.⁴ This means metabolic waste can leave the muscles faster and nutrients can reach recovering tissues more efficiently.
Effect on performance
Compression therapy primarily supports recovery rather than directly enhancing immediate performance. Faster recovery, however, can allow for more intense training sessions and thus have an indirect positive effect on performance, provided the athlete follows an appropriate training program.⁵
When and how should you use it?
After training — for recovery
The most common application is supporting recovery after training. Most studies investigated 20–30 minute treatments in the 100–200 mmHg pressure range.¹ Immediate post-exercise use can help reduce next-day muscle soreness.
In my experience, 80–100 mmHg provides a comfortable and effective massage. I consider pressures above that unnecessary from a circulatory perspective and potentially painful above ~100 mmHg.
Between competitions
If you have a busy competition schedule — for example several matches in a weekend tournament — compression treatment between matches can help maintain muscle function. It is especially useful when you don’t have access to traditional massage. A 2020 study found that combining compression with cold-water immersion effectively supported athletes’ recovery during multi-day tournaments.⁶
During travel
After long flights or car journeys, blood and lymph can pool in the lower limbs. Compression therapy can help prevent the “heavy legs” feeling and speed up acclimatization.
Which device should you choose?
Home pressotherapy devices typically treat the lower leg and thigh. When choosing, consider the following:
The number of airchambers matters: more chambers provide a finer wave motion. The pressure range is also important: most sports studies used 100–200 mmHg. It’s also useful to pick a device with a timer and different programs.
My recommendation
Compression therapy is not a miracle that will do the work for you. However, it can be an effective addition to your recovery toolkit. If you take your sport seriously and want to maximize your training efficiency, it’s worth trying and using regularly. You’ll get the best results when you combine it with other recovery methods: muscle stimulation, adequate sleep, proper nutrition and active recovery.
And remember: recovery is as important a part of training as the load itself. Those who recover better can train more and harder — and ultimately perform better.
Sources
- Maia F, Nakamura FY, Sarmento H, et al. (2024). Effects of lower-limb intermittent pneumatic compression on sports recovery: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Biology of Sport, 41(4), 263-275. PubMed
- Do Carmo Silva G, et al. (2025). Intermittent Pneumatic Compression May Reduce Muscle Soreness but Does Not Improve Neuromuscular Function Following Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. PubMed
- Martin JS, Kephart WC, Haun CT, et al. (2017). Concomitant external pneumatic compression treatment with consecutive days of high intensity interval training reduces markers of proteolysis. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(1), 173-183. PubMed
- Dutra L, Boffino CC, Brusco CM, et al. (2023). Do Sports Compression Garments Alter Measures of Peripheral Blood Flow? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine, 53(5), 1003-1015. PubMed
- Stedge HL, Armstrong K. (2021). The Effects of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression on the Reduction of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Endurance Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 30(4), 668-671. PubMed
- Fernández-Lázaro D, Mielgo-Ayuso J, Seco Calvo J, et al. (2020). Intermittent Pneumatic Compression and Cold Water Immersion Effects on Physiological and Perceptual Recovery during Multi-Sports International Championship. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13), 4691. PubMed
The information in this article is for informational purposes only. Compression therapy devices are intended to complement training programs and recovery. In case of injury, consult a sports physician or physiotherapist.
