ABSTRACT

　We have recently developed a comprehensive approach for monitoring leg swellingusing several advanced technologies. With this approach, the present study aimed toinvestigate the exercise-induced leg swelling and its recovery in humans. The effectof wearing a compression stocking on leg swelling and muscle fatigue was alsoinvestigated. Healthy young volunteers performed unilateral calf-raise exercise forboth legs, wearing a compression stocking only on one leg. Before and immediatelyafter the exercise, maximum calf circumference was determined by tape measure,extracellular fluid resistance （R0） of the lower leg by segmental bioelectricalimpedance spectroscopy, foot and lower leg volume by modified water displacement volumetry, and the gastrocnemius muscle stiffness by ultrasound shear-waveelastography. Concurrently, muscle soreness, contractile force during voluntary andevoked contractions, and unilateral vertical jump performance were examined. Thesemeasurements were repeated 1, 2 and 5 days after the exercise. There were significantincreases in calf circumference, the reciprocal of R0 （an index of extracellular fluidvolume）， and total lower leg volume immediately after the exercise. However, furthermeasurements suggest that the exercise-induced leg swelling found in this study wasmainly due to the increase in blood flow and metabolite accumulation, not due tomuscle damage and subsequent inflammatory response. We also found a limited impactof sports compression stocking on the exercise-induced leg swelling, while the decreasein maximal voluntary contractile force tended to be attenuated in the leg wearing thestocking. These results suggest that wearing compression stockings accelerates forcerecovery during the first few days after exercise, which may not be related to its edemapreventingeffect.

DECENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.40/The DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE