Does Wearing Compression Garments Affect Sleep in Soccer Players

NCT07802093 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: UPJV-COMP-SLEEP-012024-10-1/2024-46
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 18
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study investigated the effects of nocturnal compression garments on sleep quantity and quality in young elite male soccer players. Eighteen players participated in a randomized controlled crossover protocol conducted over four consecutive weeks. During the first week, participants completed a control condition without wearing compression garments. During the following three weeks, they completed three experimental conditions in randomized order: full compression leggings, compression calf sleeves, and non-compressive placebo garments. Each condition was performed for seven consecutive nights. Objective sleep parameters were assessed using actigraphy, while subjective sleep quality was evaluated using validated self-report measures. Training load, perceptual factors, pre-sleep nutrition, and nocturnal thermal conditions were monitored and controlled to limit potential confounding factors. The primary objective was to determine whether nocturnal compression garment use affects sleep quantity and quality in young elite soccer players.

Conditions

Sleep

Keywords

Recovery strategies; fatigue; sport; youth athletes

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Total Sleep Time

  Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition

• Time in Bed

  Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition

• Sleep Latency

  Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition

• Mean Sleep Efficiency Assessed by Wrist Actigraphy

  Sleep efficiency was assessed by wrist actigraphy and calculated as the percentage of time in bed spent asleep. Nightly sleep efficiency values were averaged across the seven consecutive nights of each experimental condition. Higher values indicate greater sleep efficiency.

  Measured nightly and averaged across the 7 consecutive nights of each condition

• Number of Nocturnal Awakenings

  Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition

• Subjective Sleep Quality Assessed Using the Sleep Item of the Hooper Questionnaire

  Subjective sleep quality was assessed using the sleep-quality item of the Hooper Questionnaire (Hooper et al., 1995). Participants rated the quality of the previous night's sleep on a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (very, very good) to 7 (very, very bad), with higher scores indicating poorer perceived sleep quality.

  Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition

Study Arms (3)

Sequence 1: Leggings - Calf Sleeves - Placebo

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Compression Leggings; Other: Compression Calf Sleeves; Other: Placebo

Sequence 2: Calf Sleeves - Placebo - Leggings

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Compression Leggings; Other: Compression Calf Sleeves; Other: Placebo

Sequence 3: Placebo - Leggings - Calf Sleeves

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Compression Leggings; Other: Compression Calf Sleeves; Other: Placebo

Interventions

Compression Leggings OTHER

Participants wore fullcompression leggings from approximately two hours before bedtime until waking for seven consecutive nights.

Sequence 1: Leggings - Calf Sleeves - Placebo; Sequence 2: Calf Sleeves - Placebo - Leggings; Sequence 3: Placebo - Leggings - Calf Sleeves

Compression Calf Sleeves OTHER

Participants wore compression calf sleeves from approximately two hours before bedtime until waking for seven consecutive nights.

Sequence 1: Leggings - Calf Sleeves - Placebo; Sequence 2: Calf Sleeves - Placebo - Leggings; Sequence 3: Placebo - Leggings - Calf Sleeves

Placebo OTHER

Participants wore visually similar non-compressive placebo garments from approximately two hours before bedtime until waking for seven consecutive nights.

Sequence 1: Leggings - Calf Sleeves - Placebo; Sequence 2: Calf Sleeves - Placebo - Leggings; Sequence 3: Placebo - Leggings - Calf Sleeves

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: Up to 18 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Residence at the professional soccer academy throughout the study period.
• Abstinence from tobacco and alcohol throughout the study period.
• No caffeine intake within 12 hours before bedtime.

You may not qualify if:

• Sustaining an injury during the study period.
• Exposure to a training load substantially different from that of the rest of the group.
• Development or presence of a sleep deficit during the study period.
• Failure to consume the standardized evening meal provided at the academy cafeteria.
• Consumption of caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol during the study period.
• Removal of the assigned garment or actigraphy device during the night.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universite de Picardie Jules Verne: lead

Study Sites (1)

Centre technique et sportif de la Gaillette Gervais Martel

Avion, 62210, France

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fatigue

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants were blinded to the compressive or non-compressive nature of the garments. The initial no-garment baseline condition was not blinded.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer

Model Details: All participants first completed a one-week baseline control condition without garments. Participants subsequently completed three one-week garment conditions (compression leggings, compression calf sleeves, and placebo garments) in a randomized crossover order.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 25, 2026
• First Posted: September 3, 2026
• Study Start: November 2, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 14, 2025
• Study Completion: December 14, 2025
• Last Updated: September 3, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

FR (1)