Winning Performance with Support Socks
Paula Radcliffe, the queen of the mid-length
distance, shares her formula for a 10K
With her knee-high white socks and her
blonde pigtails, long-distance runner and two-time Olympian Paula
Radcliffe is not the vision of an intimidating eat-my-dust track star;
she looks like an escapee from The Sing-A-Long Sound of Music.
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Paula Radcliffe's 'Bionic' Kit
Knee-length socks? Check. Nasal strip?
Check. Titanium necklace? Check.
Radcliffe has worn these knee-length
socks for many years to support her calf muscles. And her kit is
completed by a pair of specially designed trainers, which complement the
contours of her feet and offer extra padding.
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GFIT (Graduated compression) TECHNOLOGY:
The Potential for Ergogenic Gain
Oxysox, with
graduated compression (GFIT) technology, have recently become popular
among elite and advanced runners. GFIT technology, used as an ergogenic
aid to athletic performance, has been utilized by an impressive, growing
list of premiere athletes including runners and cyclists, as well as
NBA, NFL, and NHL players
Several theories have been proposed on
how GFIT technology may enhance performance through either physiological
or biomechanical support of the lower extremities. Proposed mechanisms
include:
1. Improved oxygen delivery to the muscles
2. Improved elimination of metabolic waste products from the muscles
3. Reduction of plasma loss from circulation (plasma volume shift) that
occurs normally during exercise
4. Stabilization of the lower leg with compression may reduce wasted
muscle motion and increase the efficiency of human movement
5. Increased proprioception may also improve exercise efficiency by
improving balance
If GFIT technology were to offer competitive advantages, research should
demonstrate supportive documentation of one or more of the above
mechanisms. We would expect to see specific parameters related to these
mechanisms improve, including:
1. Improved RPE (rating of perceived exertion)
2. Improved Aerobic Capacity (VO2Max)
3. Fatigue reduction
4. Improved power production
5. Reduction in heart rate with exercise
6. Reduction in lower leg edema
7. Increased plasma volume shift back into circulation
8. Reduced serum creatine kinase as an indicator of reduced muscle
damage
9. Reduction in post exercise muscle pain
10. Improved proprioception
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PAVEY MIGHT JOIN LONG SOCKS BRIGADE
Jo Pavey almost constantly injury prone
with calf problems, may don long socks - similar to those worn by Paula
Radcliffe.
The 31-year-old Exeter Harrier said wearing the Nike compression socks
which help the blood circulate in training, have definitely made her
sessions pain free.
Now Pavey who will partner Kathy Butler over 5000m at the World
Championships beginning in Helsinki on August 6, is considering wearing
them for the first time in a race.
"They've really helped in training," said Pavey who missed valuable
preparations and competitions in June when the calf injuries again
raised their head after winning at an international meeting in Glasgow.
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