Impact of Wearing Graduated Compression Stockings on Psychological and Physiological Responses during Prolonged Sitting

Abstract

We investigated the impact of wearing vs. not wearing graduated compression stockings on psychological and physiological responses in 18 healthy young people (12 men and six women) during 3 h prolonged sitting. Profiled of Mood States (POMS) scores did not show marked differences between with and without stockings. A 3 h sit significantly decreased saliva cortisol in both conditions; with no differences between conditions. Wearing stockings suppressed a subjective uncomfortable sensation (e.g., pain; fatigue; swelling) in the lower limbs, as assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS). Increase in heart rate at 1 h and 3 h was significantly greater without than with stockings. In addition, high-frequency oscillations (HF: 0.15–0.4 Hz), used as an indicator of parasympathetic nerve activity, showed higher values with than without stockings throughout the 3 h sitting period—significantly higher at 1 h. When data for both conditions were pooled pre-to-post changes in saliva cortisol were positively associated with higher uncomfortable sensations of VAS in the lower limbs and negatively associated with changes in the Vigor subscale of POMS. Collectively, these findings suggest that wearing graduated compression stockings may benefit from subjective comfort and increased parasympathetic nerve activity.

Case–control evaluation of the impact of below 20 mmHg elastic compression stockings on lower limb volume serial variations in standardized flights

“…Recently published evidence suggest that sitting for 3 h, using 29 hecot-Pascal GCS, significantly increases parasympathetic activity and comfort feeling. 17 Further investigations are needed to properly assess the GCS clinical and psychological effect during prolonged flights. These data will also be fundamental to properly develop future international guidelines and recommendations on the topic.…”

“…Last but not least, oedema was measured by a semi-quantitative score, involving subjective report, altering the objective investigation of the venouslymphatic drainage. 8 The same investigational group reported similar benefits in oedema control by GCS use even with smaller compression doses (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)). Yet, no objective data were reported in lower limb volume and circumferences assessment.…”

Ischemic preconditioning prevents impact of prolonged sitting on glucose tolerance and markers of cardiovascular health but not cerebrovascular responses

“…The average BP values of the pair of measurements were taken as the BP values, excluding those that were > 5 mmHg (14). HR was measured using a portable HR monitor (Check-My-Heart, TRYTECH Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), which has been used in a previous study (16). To assess heart rate variability (HRV) further, the recordings of electrocardiogram (ECG) signal were transferred to a computer, and the data for each 5-min ECG signal were analyzed automatically by an attached HRV analysis software.…”

“…SDNN is considered an estimate of overall HRV, and RMSSD is an index of short-term components of HRV, which is mainly mediated by parasympathetic nerve activity (13). In the frequency domain, the extent of very low-frequency oscillations (0.0033-0.04 Hz), low-frequency oscillations (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz), and high-frequency oscillations (HF: 0.15-0.4 Hz) was quantified using a fast Fourier transformation (13,16). HF power and LF/HF are considered to predominantly represent parasympathetic and sympathetic tone (13,16).…”

“…In the frequency domain, the extent of very low-frequency oscillations (0.0033-0.04 Hz), low-frequency oscillations (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz), and high-frequency oscillations (HF: 0.15-0.4 Hz) was quantified using a fast Fourier transformation (13,16). HF power and LF/HF are considered to predominantly represent parasympathetic and sympathetic tone (13,16). PET CO2 and breathing frequency were measured using a pocket CO 2 monitor (WEC-7301; Capno puti, Nihon Kohden, Tokyo, Japan).…”