SKINS - Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Which Skins™ are right for you?

» BALLET	» TRAVEL	» STRENGTH	» MOTOCROSS
» PRESSURE GRADIENT	» TRIATHLETES	» PREGNANCY	» SURFING

Can Skins™ help with medical conditions?

» MULTIPLESCLEROSIS	» BACK	» LYMPHOEDEMA
» QUADRAPLEGIA	» VARICOSE VEINS	» ARTHRITIS
» MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY	» CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME	» PREGNANCY
» COMPARTMENT SYNDROME

BALLET

Question

"I have been told that dancers' injuries are mainly from fatigue and previous injury...Do you have any information on Ballet or Dancers and the use/ benefits of Skins. Thank you for all the information that we receive from you!".

Answer

Ballet is a sport characterized by sustained, controlled movements over a long period of time (hours). It differs from most sports in that speed is not the focus so avoid the injuries associated with rapid movement (muscle tendon and cartilage tears). However, those controlled movements take a lot of training to sustain, with two basic costs - overuse injuries (particularly of the lower leg, including stress fractures) and energy cost. The movements take longer to do and are sustained (isometric); the muscles need to be stronger in general and throughout the range of movement and use oxygen efficiently.

Skins can help ballet performance in two ways. The enhanced microcirculation improves oxygen availability to working muscle - this will help to reduce fatigue. Secondly, the proprioceptive properties of Skins will increase muscle awareness and alignment and reduce muscle vibration. This will enhance the performance of each movement.

Lastly, Skins worn after performances will reduce or eliminate damage to the muscle, reducing muscle pain in the 48 hours after a performance

Some sites with info include:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org
http://www.mdlinx.com
http://sportsmedicine.about.com
http://www.uspharmacist.com
http://www.horsereview.com
http://www.ausport.gov.au

PRESSURE GRADIENT

Question

"Anyway I had an interesting Q on how effective Skins are for a variance in muscle mass i.e.; Stuart O'Grady's quads are bigger than mine (although I don't really think this is the case), jokes aside, how will the pressure on the muscle wall effect performance, in the sales DVD presentation it is mentioned that" too much or too little compression will have little or no effect", what is the best explanation for this Q".

Answer

The answer is a simple question that it integral to the way Skins work. Skins work by applying a pressure gradient that "pushes" blood and fluid from the periphery (feet, hands) into the chest. This also helps the heart work. To explain the gradient idea, if the pressure is higher at one point than another in a tube, fluid will flow towards the lowest point (I think its Poisselle's law in physics). Therefore, the pressure gradient is the important part because is the pressure is all the same, there is no "push" towards anywhere.

So if the applied pressure is higher in Stuart's muscles but the pressure gradient is maintained, the Skins will work. However, blood flow can in fact be impaired with ordinary tights or support hose, see:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

TRAVEL

Question

"Can you help me please? I have had DVT in the past and also have one at the moment. I travel a fair bit in my role as a National Sales Manager and was wondering whether the Jet Skins would be a help? Do you have the mm of Mercury of pressure rating for the Jet Skins? Are there different types available? Where could I see the full range please?"

Answer

JetSkins were developed to help prevent DVTs occurring during flights.

The conditions in the cabin are ideal for clot (thrombosis) formation. Firstly, you are in a confined space with very little movement. Secondly, cabin pressure is held to about 8000 feet above sea level. This is the equivalent to breathing about 15% oxygen...at sea level this is 21%. This doesn't seem like much but its less than the concentration of oxygen normal expired from your lungs. Therefore, you are always mildly hypoxic (short of oxygen). The extended hypoxia has been shown to cause swelling and the resultant dehydration of the blood - which make the blood thicker and harder to move around, and some blood can "pool", especially in the veins. The dehydrated blood holds a relatively high concentration of platelets, which cause clots to form. This pooled blood can therefore easily form clots. Clots in the veins block the flow of blood away from the extremities, causing the pain, swelling and discolouration of a DVT.

JetSkins are one form of treatment designed to keep the blood flowing. They apply about 17mm Hg at the apex of the calf, this pressure reduces to about 10 just above the knee and about 4 around the hips. One of the fundamental laws of physics is that fluid will flow from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.

Therefore there is a push along the legs to force blood back into the circulation. This is called graduated compression and is different from simple compression, like you might use for a swollen knee as a result of an injury. Compression garments such as support hose that provide uniform compression will not work to improve the circulation.

There are other features of JetSkins that make then superior to similar products. They are composed of a special wicking fabric which keeps you cool and prevents moisture build-up under the garment. They have open toes and heels which make the garment easy to put on and take off. They are impregnated with an antibacterial to prevent odours and skin infections. The fabric is sturdy and resists tearing.

There are other Skins products that use the same technology for other applications, particularly sport. In these garments, the foot has been dispensed with and the stitching reinforced and placed along muscle lines to give additional support (muscle wrapping). The design has been changed to suit specific sports (snow sports, Golf and cricket).

In your case, JetSkins would be appropriate for any air or even land travel. I recommend that you wear them for the rest of the day after travel. If you are prone to clot formation when not traveling, I would recommend the use of JetSkins as a regular bed garment.

I strongly recommend that you see your doctor to ensure that you take appropriate anti-embolic medication (heparin, aspirin) especially before embarking on long flights.

TRIATHLETES

Question

"Hi; Firstly I would like to congratulate you on a brilliant website about SKINS. I am a triathlete who competes at World Championship Level and have had compartment syndrome for the last 12 months. A friend of mine recently lent me her sports skins to help with compartment syndrome in my lower legs and I have been amazed at what a difference they have made.

I depart for Hawaii in 12 days time and as the intensity of training has lifted my legs always give me a hard time and I have found putting a pair of skins on straight after running alleviates the throbbing from the lower legs. They have been so bad that one night I slept in the skins and it was one of the best sleeps I've had!

One of the biggest problems I have is fluid retention and as I am about to board the plane to Hawaii very soon I am convinced after reading Miles Stewarts testimonial and many others these are the answer to my constant problem. Last year I spent 33 hours flying to Madeira, Portugal for the World Championships and it wasn't till I arrived in Singapore 2 weeks later after having a herb steam bath that I actually saw the veins in my feet again! How I wish I had of known about skins!!"

Answer

Thanks for you enquiry. In reply I shall address each of the issues separately. However, we are accumulating a large amount of literature and studies to back up our claims including detailed, peer-reviewed independent studies.

Triathletes are a group who can benefit greatly from Skins before considering the DVT risk reduction. We have conducted studies that show that Skins improve VO2max by 6-10% and anaerobic threshold in runners by an average of 40% (study 2). This data will be presented in a conference in October 2005 and will be published. We have also shown in a group of triathletes a reduction in blood lactate at the end of a 56k ride (study 6).

A large part of the technology used in Skins compression garments is not new. Skins use gradient (or graduated) compression to provide an assist to circulation. Simplistically, this means that the pressure at the bottom of the garment is higher than the top, generating a pressure gradient that literally pushes the blood out of the veins back to the heart. This technology has been used for many years in hospitals to prevent blood clot (DVT) formation by reducing blood pooling and swelling (oedema), and increasing blood flow. There is some evidence that the microcirculation is enhanced, reflected in better oxygen utilization by skin and tissues. There are many studies to support this, see our website (skins.com.au) for more details.

Most of the DVT prevention data was conducted in patients with impaired circulation. However, the rise of the "economy class syndrome" showed that immobile normal subjects can develop DVT during flights. This risk is increased by the decreased cabin pressure compared to sea level which causes a relative hypoxia (low oxygen level) which cascades into thicker blood. This risk is also elevated by recent injury, which includes the hard sustained exercise of competition. Skins have a specific product for air travel (JetSkins) that have been specifically developed to reduce this risk.

Regarding your rehabilitation / retraining, it is of some interest for our sporting team coaches about how to use Skins. Currently most coaches using Skins are using Skins for training and warm up, competing without and using JetSkins for recovery. The later are donned after the post-game shower and worn for 4-12 hours and are effective at preventing post-game injury and pain. We have conducted a pilot study that shows that the effects of eccentric injury are reduced substantially when skins are donned immediately (trammel).

I am a current triathlete (not elite) and I use my skin religiously. I always run or cycle in some form of Skins. I even swim in the half-tights. My personal recommendation is that you train in Skins full tights; compete in half-tights and recovery in a fresh set of full-tights.

I also run in the sleeveless top which I feel enhance my performance but I have no data to back that up. The thermal properties are great though. All Skins are made from a special wicking fabric that warms you when you are cold, but aids in evaporative cooling when you are working; you don't get all sweating under the garment.

STRENGTH

Question

"l have a question regards skins and increase performance, the strength gain from wearing the skins does this come from the garment therefore when the garment is removed your strength levels drop. Are the gains in strength similar to gains obtained from a benching suite used in power lifting? therefore it is the suite that increases the strength not an actual increase in body strength?"

Answer

There is a definite effect of Skins on strength, particularly if you look at number of reps at say 80% rather than a single lift. The detailed effects are still being researched but it is well recognized that short term increases in strength probably occur as a result of fibre recruitment. Therefore, the proprioceptive effects of the compression and the reduction in muscle movement that results are most likely the cause of the increase in strength.

In lay terms, the answer is no. The strength is always there, just better channeled. The results do seem to disappear when the Skins are removed. This is shown in the attached study because the subjects who had Skins on first had worse results when they were removed and tested 5 minutes later. (The ones who had Skins on second improved).

The adaptations that occur when wearing Skins over longer term seem to be maintained but research if currently being conducted to prove this. Keep an eye on the website; I am expecting some independent results very shortly.

PREGNANCY

Question

"I have been told I need to wear compression stockings for varicose veins due to my pregnancy. Are skins suitable for this, can they help with alleviating the stress on the veins. Look forward to hearing back from you."

Answer

When you are pregnant, the massive amount of hormones in your body promotes blood clotting- this means that clots form more easily. To top this off, your body responds by increasing fluid, and this swells up your veins. As a final blow, the increasing abdominal size starts to constrict the veins coming out of your legs. These last two factors mean that the back pressure on the leg veins is very much increased. This back pressure causes any weak or varicose veins to swell up, which means that blood flows more slowly through the veins. Slow moving blood is far more likely to clot, forming DVT's, or worse.... pulmonary embolisms; heart attacks and strokes.

The gradient compression of Skins pushes the blood from your calves back to your chest, reducing the swelling and helping the blood to flow. This reduces the risk of clot formation. Also, pains due to swelling and swollen veins are reduced. There a number of other good reasons to wear Skins when you are pregnant, (particularly when you are standing for a long time) and no good reasons not to wear Skins, so I recommend that you do wear Skins throughout your pregnancy and whenever you take even a short flight.

MOTOCROSS

Question

"I race motocross and in our sport there is a fairly wide occurrence of forearm pump which is fairly different to all of the other stresses that we go through. You may already be familiar with this condition but basically it is where from trying to hang on with the fingers, the forearm muscles pump totally and make it very hard to hang on. Even after a race they may be pumped for several minutes. The condition generally goes away after several races and is not a problem towards the end of the day. Do you think that the full length skin top would help with this? Also, how do they go when it comes to hot weather usage?".

Answer

I am not familiar with this problem but I am familiar with the problems of Motocross as a sport, particularly the problems with shortening of the forearm tendons due to chronic overuse, a probably a long term consequence of the "forearm muscle pump" you described.

The long-sleeved Skins tops are ideal suited to your sport for a number of reasons. Firstly, the compression will reduce muscle vibration and help with muscle alignment. This will result in less "strain". Secondly, the gradient compression will increase blood flow and oxygenation to the muscle of the forearm so they work better and cramp less. Thirdly, the skins fabric engineered to be iso-thermal. This means that they speed up warming up, but once you are warm and start to sweat, the fabric wicks that moisture to the surface. At the surface, this moisture evaporates resulting in extra cooling.

You may also benefit from wearing long leg Skins. Skins have been shown to reduce leg fatigue when performing 80% leg presses in a gym - the average number of repetitions increased by 15% (3 reps). This finding is easily extrapolated to Motocross or horse-riding where you are continually in various states of semi-seated position.

The action of Skins also provides recovery after exercise to prevent or minimize the delayed onset muscle soreness that occurs in the 48 hour period after exercise. If you do get soreness after your ride, I would advise that you wear Skins afterward for 4-8 hours. Many athletes sleep in Skins to maximize the effect.

Therefore I would advise you to wear a full set of Skins whenever you ride. If you get sore afterward, I recommend that you continue to wear your Skins for at least 4 hours after, or get another set to wear after your shower.

SURFING

Question

"Hi. I would like to find out if SKINS have anything in their range to help with support and protection for knees whilst surfing. I have tried regular knee guards like they use in footy and they work to some extent but tend to be uncomfortable and restrictive. I have had multiple operations on my knees over the years including double reconstructions and my knees are now not that stable, especially when taking off or getting bumped from the side and stuff. The next option as far as the specialists tell me will be replacements as they are basically pretty worn out. I am 48yr old and have surfed pretty much all my life. Most of the damage I have done to my knees has been through footy injuries. I would be pleased to hear back from you if you have any ideas or product that would assist. Seen your ad on tele pretty cool."

Answer

Skins compression will give you a limited amount of support but will provide you with a full range of movement, improve muscle alignment and reduce muscle vibration when you are surfing. These effects will limit the injury that you cause during surfing and if you wear them afterwards for a few hours you may reduce pain and swelling, depending on the cause.

I regularly swim with Skins on and that their effect is unaffected by being in the water, even chlorinated water, so don't worry about that. Skins also work really well for recovery, and can improve strength by up to 15%.

I don't think that you will get the level of support that you will get with a brace, however, the other effects on skins on this injury, and their effects on your strength and recovery probably justify their use.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Question

"I use a wheeled walking frame and manage to walk by "swinging" from my hips with no real control over my legs, especially from my knees down. I experience an almost continual ache from my hips to ankles. Would it be recommended that as well as wearing skins when I am walking, that I wear them whenever I am aching.

Also, I have lymphoedema of my right arm following a mastectomy and removal of lymph nodes. I wear a custom made support sleeve, but I get swelling down my right side and across right midriff. Would skins be recommended, and have you had feedback from any one who has used skins for a similar reason?"

Answer

Skins can be of particular benefit to MS sufferers because they act to limit the pains and promote circulation. In your case, a Skins top will also help to reduce the swelling of the lymphoedema by providing a physical push back into the circulation. This will work both for swelling in your arms and in your chest by slightly different mechanisms. In your arms, the higher pressure in the extremities, that lessens the closer you get to your chest provides a push back towards the chest cavity. The additional pressure applied to your chest pushes lymph back into the centre of the chest and into your circulation.

Skins may be of particular interest in MS, were increases in core temperature, such as occur with physical activity, and are known to increase the activity of the disease process. To combat this, exercise prescriptions are generally water based, but the enhanced evaporative cooling of skins may allow more land based activity. The inactivity and gradually immobility associated with MS increases the risk of vascular problems and DVT. The wearing of skin will significantly reduce the risk of macrovascular problems (e.g. DVT) by increasing venous return. The microvascular improvements associated with wearing Skins may help reduce the degenerative tissue changes that occur in MS sufferers. Proprioception is also a particular problem in MS. Gradient compression stockings like Skins are known to increase proprioception in normals, so may be of significant benefit for MS sufferers.

Your gait also may stress muscles in a different way to what others experience, particularly the small muscles that usually work to maintain posture and form rather than carry load. You may want to talk to your physio about strengthening these muscles, but Skins will help by keeping them more oxygenated (by promoting microcirculation. This mechanism slows the production of lactic acid, which acts on pain receptors, leading to less pain in motion.

These areas are fairly new to Skins, but there has been a lot of interest from both patients and health workers in the area of both MS and lymphoedema. Both areas standardly use similar garments, like the sleeves and knee-length stockings to prevent swelling and prevent DVTs. The Skins tops and the long legged Skins stockings are superior in a number of areas, principally because they are complete garments, easy to put on and make of a special cooling fabric. Given the information, I would sincerely doubt that Skins would have no effect. In your case, I recommend using regular Skins because they also contain muscle wrapping, which may give you some extra support during walking.

Ideally, you would have two sets of Skins, both tops and bottoms. If you are in a health fund, they will refund all or part of the costs so long as you have a letter from your doctor recommending their use.

QUADRAPLEGIA

Question

"I have a customer with the following query regarding a 24 year old consumer who is an "Incomplete quadriplegic" (he has no fine motor skills in the hands) who apart from the obvious afflictions suffers from

1. Low Blood Pressure
2. Severe lower limb and abdominal spasms
3. Muscle wastage

Will skins help any of these conditions and if so will there be any possible negative issues. Please advise."

Answer

Skins will have many benefits for this 24 year old quadriplegic. Rather obviously, the customer's inherent immobility dramatically increases the risk of DVT and clot formation. The lack of muscle movement in the lower limbs disables any muscle pump so blood pools in the legs. Skins will help to overcome this by providing a pressure gradient to push the blood back into circulation. This feature may help to maintain blood pressure by increasing pre-load to the heart.

The muscle wasting is occurring because of inactivity. This is difficult to combat and a number of electrical activation techniques are available. From memory, passive movements are of little value except to prevent contracture. The muscle spasm are most likely caused by build-up of nerve activity below the level of the injury, but may be augmented by poor blood supply. It is possible that Skins can act to lessen the spasms by increasing blood supply and muscle oxygenation; the proprioceptive effects of Skins may also help but there is no data to support a local muscle memory effect.

A long-sleeved Skins top will certainly help in the activities of daily living (ADL) for this customer. The additional circulation and the proprioceptive effects will improve endurance and muscle alignment.

Therefore I would recommend that this customer purchase both full length tops and bottoms. Whilst he effects on the stated symptoms are marginal (they may or nay not occur), there are more solid benefits for this customer from wearing Skins including improvements in ADL and performance, and DVT risk reduction.

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

Question

"A prospective customer has Myotolic Muscular Dystrophy and suffers from restless legs and severe calf muscle twitching. He has worn various types of socks and elastic garments but none which have gradient compression or thermo regulation such as Skins. Will Skins be a helpful product for his condition? Is there a possibility that they could be detrimental?"

Answer

Sufferers on muscular dystrophy may benefit from the gradient compression found in Skins. The increased oxygenation may help reduce muscle pain, although the primary problem seems to be a leaking of muscle creatine kinase. This leaking may result in greater dependence on lactate generating pathways in the muscle during even minimal work, and the increased oxygenation will reduce lactic acid formation. The calf twitching may result from these high lactic acid levels, although the cause is unclear. I have had good results with Skins in fibromyalgia patients, which has similar muscle pains.

However, the wearing of gradient compression stockings such as skins is strongly advised to prevent blood pooling and help prevent the resultant clots, DVTs and embolisms.

Kevin's form of muscular dystrophy is less severe than the more classic forms and affects extremities more that large muscle groups. It may affect eyes and swallowing and hand-grip release. Long sleeved tops may afford some upper body relief, if required.

There is no reason to suggest that wearing Skins would be detrimental to his condition.

COMPARTMENT SYNDROME

Question

"Further to a phone conversation, here is a list of facts for my 16 year old son who is border line compartment syndrome, and enquiring about suitability of your skin product. He has suffered from lower leg pain for the past 18 months; he has had x-rays and bone scans which have come back negative. We have been referred to a Sports Medical Centre where he has undergone a pressure test which proved to be border line compartment syndrome. He was pressure 13 at rest and pressure 24 after exertion for 15 minutes. He has rested totally for 6 months where he did nothing but walk so he undertook no physical exertion, this did not help as soon as he returned to training he began to suffer again. He has tried deep muscle massage on the affected areas and this has helped but only minimally. At present he is playing football once a week and trains twice weekly and he is only able to play for 3 quarters as he is now cramping and unable to continue the game. He ices after each game and has massages pre and post games with rubs at quarter breaks. Your assistance in this matter would be appreciated and do you think he would benefit from wearing skins for training or when????"

Answer

Compartment syndrome is a well defined problem that presents to sports medicine professionals regularly. A good description can be found on the following websites although they seem to address treatment rather than prevention.

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/
http://www.postgradmed.com
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net

A core part of the treatment is "ordinary" compression to reduce swelling (oedema). The graduated compression of Skins provides both compression and increased venous return (which reduces oedema formation). Therefore, wearing skins during training should prevent or minimize the development of compartment syndrome and the consequent pain. However, after the pain develops, compression is contra-indicated, so I would recommend that Skins be removed after exercise or when pain develops.

In Joel's case, I doubt that he would be permitted to wear Skins during game play. During game play, however, he should wear shin guards and other measures to reduce injury to the region. It is possible we could supply a sleeve, if required.

During training and general exercise, Joel should always wear Skins. The compression will reduce muscle vibration and movement. The graduated compression will increase micro-circulation and oxygenation, which will minimize cramps. Unfortunately, the restorative aspects of Skins are contra-indicated by the pressure build-up, although Joel's pressure peak is modest. I would recommend a consultation with a sports medicine physiotherapist to look at corrective orthotics. Joel's condition does not seem severe enough to warrant surgery, but the physio or an orthopedic surgeon would be better positioned to advise you.

Overall, I would recommend that Joel wears full-length Skins during training, but remove them when exercise is completed or if pain occurs.

BACK

Question

"Hi, I am 16 years old. I have been reading up on the skins and wondered if you could let me know if they were the right thing for me. I play basketball at a state level and have just started cycling; however I have a "stress fracture/defect of my L5." I have had pretty bad back pain for nearly 2 years now. I have seen specialists and get massages and all that weekly. When I play basketball and cycle, my muscles tighten nearly instantly. I stretch and everything but it seems never to be enough. Not only do my back muscles tighten but all my legs muscles, esp. upper legs, get really tight and sore. Would these be right for me? Would the Skins top help my back even a little bit? Would these aid in the recovery?"

Answer

Your situation is a little bit complex given the stress fracture in your back and I don't think that wearing Skins will help that problem directly. Having said that, you are clearly very active and not limited by your back. However, the muscle tightening you describe is similar to what occurs in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Skins have had some spectacular success in preventing this muscle pain and tightening in these conditions, presumably by their action of promoting blood flow to tissue (microcirculation). When cycling, Skins have been shown to dramatically increase your anaerobic threshold, which will make cycling easier for you and reduce lactic acid buildup.

The effects of Skins during recovery are now well documented. Skins act to reduce the membrane protein changes and acid build-up that cause post-exercise pain. Therefore, the muscles recover more quickly and you are better able to perform in the next days. Most of the AFL players are wearing Skins for up to 48 hours after the game to help their recovery and prevent pain and limitation during this crucial period. The Skins top may help your back by providing some compression to your back. The compression is quite low, so it will not be limiting but is sufficient to provide muscle awareness and reduce vibration, both of which can contribute to your pain. The Skins top also comes sleeveless in a female cut, which looks excellent in black and lilac. This will still provide you with support for your back.

To answer your question, I am certain that Skins will work well to reduce your pains, including your back. Please do not hesitate to contact me for more info.

VARICOSE VEINS

Question

"Bruce's wife here has varicose vein problems. I recall that you felt that Skins would help."

Answer

The technology that forms the basis for Skins was designed for treatment of varicose veins. They provide a pressure gradient that pushes blood from the legs back into the circulation, preventing and alleviating the swollen veins. She would find that the pain and heaviness in her legs will virtually disappear.

The pressure range is very effective for minor varicose veins and is most certainly indicated. I would advise that Bruce's wife wear full length Skins during every day, particularly on days with a lot of standing. Unlike people at risk of DVT, she does not particularly need to wear them at night.

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

Question

"Hi, I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and would like to know if your products would be suitable for (or benefit) me with general exercising. Have you done any testing on people with CFS, or spoken with any medical experts on the suitability of these products for CFS? From what I know, most CFS sufferers have problems with lactic acid build up, fatigue during exercise and recovery after exercise, and looking at your products specs these symptoms can be improved. Can you please get back to me with any information that you might have."

Answer

Thanks for your insightful enquiry about Skins and CFS. I have had a significant interest in the area since I was approached by a fibromyalgia sufferer about 10 month ago. As you know, whilst the specific mechanisms are unknown, the effects of both syndromes are known, particularly the "crash" after hard exercise and the profound muscle weakness that characterize both disorders. Both disorders have been linked to post-traumatic stress syndrome and seem to have both a mysterious vagal inhibition (causing high heart rates) and impairment of normal metabolic pathways, particularly in muscles. CFS differs in that it is more closely linked to immune dysfunction.

My fibromyalgia patient responded very positively and continuously improved with Skins and gentle training (I trained her personally weekly and she used a treadmill under strict heart rate based guidelines three time a week). She wore Skins, both top and bottoms (long legged and long sleeved) during each session and for the rest of that day. She had no crashes and continues to improve her fitness and performance, although her recent move to Melbourne has taken her from my direct care. She continued to have some of the other symptoms (not muscle pain) however....So I doubt that Skins provides a cure.

We have recently conducted a simple study in control subjects that showed that fatigue was less when wearing Skins. In this study, subjects (male and female) completed as many repetitions on a leg press as they could at around 80% of their maximum lift. The order was random between Skins on first or last. All subjects were able to push out around 3 more reps with Skins on (average: 17) than without (average: 14). Muscle vibration was not tested but was noted to be significantly reduced.

The gradient compression of Skins pushes the blood from your calves back to your chest, reducing the swelling and helping the blood to flow. This type of compression also improves the interface between the blood and the muscle, called the microcirculation. This improvement is reflected in increased use of oxygen by the muscle; this means that less lactic acid is produced in the muscle. It is the lactic acid build-up in the muscle that causes pain during and after exercise. So if you have a disorder that causes muscle pain, you can benefit from wearing Skins.

LYMPHOEDEMA

Question

"Good evening - I am interested in your product. I have had a bi-lateral mastectomy. I traveled overseas a few years back and wore two 'purpose made' elastic sleeves to help me not get lymph node problems. These were not completely suitable. I have since found your 'skins' product and on reading more would like to know if they would be suitable for me to wear to keep my arms from swelling. I am going to China in the near future. Do hope to her from you soon."

Answer

Skins make a long sleeved graduated compression top that would be suitable for use in people with lymphoedema as occurs after a mastectomy. We believe that this product is superior to purpose-made sleeves for comfort, fit and area covered. The compression around the chest will help with discomfort. The pressure difference between the extremities and the centre of the garments will help to return lymph fluid into your circulation, thereby reducing swelling. The average compression is fairly low, but the effect continues.

You may be aware that Skins were developed for use in flights, particularly "long-haul", were the stasis of remaining seated in one position increases the risk of clots. DVT prevention aside, studies have shown that the leg swelling that occurs in 90% of long-haul travelers is virtually eliminated when wearing products like Skins. In your case, the impaired lymphatic circulation will be accented whenever you fly. The exact cause of the changes in flight that make your blood thicken, cause dehydration and impair circulation (causing leg swelling) are disputed, but there is no doubt that they occur and that the severity of these problems is dramatically reduced when wearing graduated compression stockings like Skins. Therefore, Skins tops are suitable for your condition.

In your case, the swelling and associated pain will be worse in the upper body. Therefore I would recommend that you purchase at least one long sleeved top. I would recommend that you at least try wearing the top during normal days to see whether pains and swelling are reduced.

When you fly, I recommend that you wear both the top and the long legged JetSkins. The basis of the second part of this recommendation is twofold. Firstly, there is some evidence that wearing a full set of Skins may amplify the effect (at least during performance studies) and secondly that your history suggests that you may be in an at-risk group for DVTs.

ARTHRITIS

Question

"A very good friend of mine whose wife has arthritis in her fingers and has had a couple of operations on her hand still suffers badly from pain. My question do you think skins tops can help?"

Answer

There is some evidence that compression of the hands reduces the pain in rheumatoid arthritis of the hand.

see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I do not think that the Skins top can help the arthritis directly but will help to reduce pain and discomfort in the muscles and tendons of the forearm and elbow that control hand movements. The proprioceptive properties of Skins may also help to ensure that the alignment and awareness of these muscles are optimal by reducing vibration, jerkiness and wasted movement, all of which cannot be helping the arthritis.

Also, the operations cause"stiffness" in these muscles that Skins may improve through compression and thermal effects.

Overall, I would recommend a "suck and see" attitude. I would recommend that she wears the long top through the day for at least three days and get back to us on the effect, if any.

PREGNANCY

Question

Answer

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Frequently asked questions

BALLET

PRESSURE GRADIENT

TRAVEL

TRIATHLETES

STRENGTH

PREGNANCY

MOTOCROSS

SURFING

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

QUADRAPLEGIA

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

COMPARTMENT SYNDROME

BACK

VARICOSE VEINS

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

LYMPHOEDEMA

ARTHRITIS

PREGNANCY