Hype or Helper - Digging into Skins Compression Wear

• Author: Johnny
• Filed under: Sports Equipment & Apparel
• Date: Jun 24,2008

Peer pressure is mounting and I’ve bit the bullet. I have forked out approximately AUD$130 for a set of mens Skins full length tights. I have neglected my readers with a photo of my ‘man in tights’ self portrait if I get enough requests I’m happy to please

Now I am not one to buy into fads, shams or strive to keep up with the ‘jones’ without good solid research. So here are my findings…

Skins Variants on Offer

Skins come in all shapes and sizes to match the need for kids, women and men to wear. Due to the claim that skins help your muscles work longer they have been tailored to wear for nearly all activities. Several Skins types are available named Sport, Snow, Travel, Outdoor, Youth and She.

Beware - these specific purpose garments could be a Skins tactic to make consumers buy different sets of apparel for every activity they perform in a day. Imagine waking up in Recovery, to have a bath in Aquaskins, eat breakfast in Skingestions (approve circulation for food digestion system) then hop in the car wearing SkinDrive compression sox. Just remember, wear ‘em for sports/physical activities to help recovery. Simple.

‘Skins sport’ are for general sporting competitions and training. ‘Skins youth’ are cut for kids, ‘Skins snow’ with fur on inside for warmth and less dense fabric on calf for ski boots. ‘Skins travel & recovery’ have a foot loop and tighter calfs and ‘Skins outdoor’ which come in camoflague colour. Apart from above stated differences all Skins types are the same and have been re-labelled for marketing purposes.

Long Tights	Long Sleeve	Half Tights	Skins Powersox™
Short Sleeve Top	Sleeveless	Womens Long Sleeve	Womens Sleeveless
Skins are available for both genders and are available in 4 colours. Powersleeves and Skins underpants (seamless cotten with anti-chaff design) sold too!

What does their Research & Marketing Tell Us?

Skins uses their trademark technology called BioAcceleration Technology™ that they have researched for years and years. They call their brainchild engineered gradient compression technology and its primary purpose is to provide an increase in blood circulation.

Research & Marketing? That’s right. There are scientific studies out their on compression wear and their findings are briefly reported at the Skins Research Institute online. The studies are conducted by scientists, sports physiotherapists and vascular physicians. However, you must look at the context of their research.

• Is the research funded by Skins hence making their findings possibly biased?
• Were the research results misrepresented and spat out as marketing hype or pseudo-scientific fact?

Skins™ performance, recovery and lifestyle benefits have been thoroughly proven.The Skins™ Research Institute provides on-going independent scientific studies, including work by sports physiotherapists and vascular physicians.

Their studies point affirm that when balanced and accurate surface pressure is applied over specific body parts triggers an acceleration of blood flow will occur. From this, performance is enhanced due to an increase in oxygen delivery to working muscles. Other benefits of greater circulation is a reduction in lactic acid and other metabolic waste build-up.

According to the Skins research and marketing think tank wearing Skins will:

• Increased blood flow (increase veneous return by 31% - Marx J 2006)
• Greater muscle oxygenation
• Reduced lactic acid and other metabolic waste build-up
• Reduced effect of DOMS (Delayed onset muscle soreness) such as muscle pain, weakness are reduced and alertness improved
• The culmination of above allows you to work at higher rates for longer
• Keep muscles working at optimum temperature
• Keeps the muscles in ideal alignment/position. When worn during activity the muscle wrapping and compression combine to dramatically improve muscle awareness and focus (proprioception)
• Draws perspiration away from skin
• Keeps the muscles Muscle fatigue is increased by muscles vibrating. This is caused by impact e.g. when your foot contacts the ground when running, and forces of gravity and momentum e.g. thigh muscles moving with pedal rotation when cycling
• Power is also lost when muscles are moved out of ideal alignment/position.

Other Benefits include:

• Wearing Skins on planes help improve circulation and reduce effects of DVT
• the increased oxygenation and circulation by Skins may relieve spider and varicose veins, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, lymphoedema and deep vein thrombosis. Skins also claim promoting circulation during pregnancy
• Skins fabric is warp knitted to satisfy stringent stretch and recovery standards and is cut and seamed a certain way to provide greater benefits than other tights can
• 50+ UV sun protection meaning you need not wear anything over top of your Skins

Dubious Claims

• Having teens wearing Skins will reduce ‘growing pains’
• The compressive effect also limits injury caused by overextending muscles and may even treat injuries as they occur

Who Rates Skins?

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) recommend Skinsafter they commissioned rigorous testing by sports scientists that confirmed Skins ability to enhance performance, endurance and recovery.

In the context of the 2008 FA Cup final, it really doesn’t matter whether it’s in their head or whether the advantage is real. Either way, wearing skin-tight shorts could give Cardiff City the little extra push they need to topple Portsmouth and win the FA Cup (and get into Europe).

Like above there are thousands of endorsed sporting teams and athletes who wear Skins during training. For testimonials from these players check the Skins (US) website.

Getting the Right Fit

Skins must fit correctly to work affectively. Read the table on the packet or the chart in store to calculate the correct size using your height to weight ratio and your body mass index (BMI).

Looking After Skins

Depends on usage and frequency washed. As a guide Skins clad runners can expect the tights to last as long as your running shoes. Time is also a natural enemy to elastomeric materials deteriorating them over time.

When washing put them on cold water delicate machine wash with gentle detergent. No tumble drying or you’ll be running around with blue feet. Rule of thumb: more rigorous the wash the less life expectancy.

All Skins compression garments are covered by a 1 year warranty on material or workmanship flaws.

How Am I Going?

I run several times a week. I find with long slow distance and hill running my calves are not sore anymore during and after. Cold Melbourne mornings are easier with Skins getting my legs warmer quicker however leggings would also do this. With sprints my legs ‘feel good’ with power and times improving. It seems fatigue is less of a factor with my sessions getting longer.

Be wary of buying into their several varieties as I think it is all marketing hype delivered to specific audiences. At AUD$130 a pop the above would speak for itself.

Final Verdict

Yeah - use them. Wear them for fitness training to improve blood flow, lessen lactic acid build-up, lessen recovery time so you can train harder.

Show Me The Research Sources

Check out the Skins Research Centre for more information.

Exercise Performance Findings

The effect of compression garments during simulated netball trials
- T Higgins, The Australian Catholic University, Australia

This thesis from Australian Catholic University examined Skins™ in elite netball players using a range of performance parameters in a simulated game drill. This thesis presents an excellent and detailed review of existing literature. The results showed improvements in time spent at higher pace. There were no difference in lactic acid but the levels indicate that lactate accumulation did not occur.

Exercise Recovery & DOMS Findings

Compression garments and recovery from eccentric exercise
- M I Trenell, K B Rooney, C M Sue and C H Thompson
Published in Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 2006;(%) 106-114

This study on 11 subjects used magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI) to demonstrate the muscle changes during recovery. The results showed significance improvement in enzymes involved in muscle membrane restoration after only 1 hour wearing Skins™ (long tights) after controlled muscle injury.

Effectiveness of post match recovery strategies in Rugby players
- N D Gill, C M Beavan and C Cook
Published in British Journal of Sports Medicine 2006; 40: 260-263

This study compared recovery strategies after elite rugby union games and found that ice baths, Skins™ and active recovery improved recovery rates by a similar but substantial amount.

The effect of 4 recovery techniques post competitive rugby matches plasma creatine kinase
- N Gill

This study conducted in NZ examined different recovery modes on blood CPK, a marker of muscle damage. This study showed similar reductions in CPK with all recovery strategies, including wearing Skins™, compared with no intervention.

Flight Recovery Findings

A randomized, crossover, open-label study of the effectiveness of Skins™ travel and recovery garments in reducing in-flight ankle oedema
- M Hagan, SM Lambert
Published in Medical Journal of Australia 2008; 188 (2): 81-84

Hagan & Lambert (2006) did prospective measures on 50 passengers on flights of greater than 5 hours it showed significant differences in ankle circumference and symptoms of Economy Class Syndrome. Measurements were made on both the outgoing and return flights for each passenger – one wearing Skins™ and one not wearing Skins™.

Subjects reported that:

• they experienced increased concentration, alertness and energy levels
• their legs felt significantly better after the flight when they wore SkinsTM
• they experienced a significantly better night sleep after the flight