Arm Compression on Muscle Oxygen Saturation
Condition: Muscle; Fatigue, Heart
MeSH terms: Fatigue
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study is designed to observe muscle oxygen saturation during intense video game using
      gridlock training with and without upper arm compression sleeves.
    

Detailed description: 
      A competitive esport player can perform up to 500-600 mouse and keyboard actions per minute
      (APM) on a typical training day. A routine training day for a competitive esport player can
      range from 5- 10 hours of play with no break. In comparison, office workers perform an
      average of 130-180 keyboard and mouse inputs over the course of an 8 hour work day. These
      APM's require sustained wrist extension in conjunction with repetitive forearm muscle
      contractions in multiple planes, as well as shoulder stability and postural stability.

      Maneuvering a mouse and keyboard requires repeated contractions of the extensor carpi ulnaris
      and extensor digitorum. With these fine motor demands, it is common for players to suffer
      from acute and chronic overuse wrist and arm injuries.

      Muscle tissue oxygenation (Sm02) saturation is important to all athletic populations
      including endurance athletes and power athletes. It's a marker of how efficient that muscle
      is performing. A decrease in Sm02 indicates less ATP to that muscle and fatigue. Muscle
      deoxygenation and reoxygenation has been studied in multiple athletic populations. In
      competitive rock climbers, a lesser rate of deoxygenation of the finger and wrist extensor
      muscles was related to a higher level of climbing ability.

      The use of compression wear has expanded from clinical use into the sports market. The
      recommendations to wear compression gear in athletes is based on improvement in venous blood
      flow which improves exchange of fresh blood and blood waste. The research on its use on
      improving running performance has been mixed. Anecdotally, in 2001 Allen Iverson of the
      National Basketball Association (NBA) wore a compression arm sleeve to prevent swelling and
      provide relief of bursitis in his elbow. Lebron James of the NBA and London marathon runner
      Paul Radcliffe both swear by compression gear. In the 2016 Olympics, it was estimated that
      90% of athletes used some form of compression performance gear. The compression wear sports
      industry market is a billion-dollar industry projected to be worth 3.96 billion dollars by
      2022.

      Athletes in various sports wear compression garments with the assumption that it will improve
      performance and facilitate muscle recovery. Most modern compression gear marketed toward
      athletes use 'graduated compression'. This means that the highest amount of pressure is on
      the most distal parts of your body (e.g ankles if you are using lower body compression) and
      the pressure gradually reduces as it moves up toward your body. Compression wear varies in
      pressure range. The measurement is measured in mmHg and light compression can range from
      18-21 mmHg, moderate 23-32 mmHg, strong 34-46 mmHg and > 49 mmHg very strong. (6) Most over
      the counter athletic compression garments range from 18-21 mmHg.

      With esports literature in its infant stages, oxidative capacity of the finger and wrist
      extensors during prolonged gaming have never been explored. The aim of this study is to
      compare changes in tissue oxygenation of the wrist extensor muscles with and without
      graduated arm compression during competitive game play.
    

Intervention name(s): Upper body graduated compression sleeve
Intervention type(s): Device
Intervention description(s): An over the counter light compression sleeve will be worn during game training
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention