Does the use of Compression Boots and Foam Rolling Impact Next Day Performance
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Authors
Nicole Yacks
Issue Date
2026
Type
Language
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Abstract
Every year, there are thousands of college students who participate in athletics. It is important to understand the significance of the physical demands since there is not always enough time for the body to rest and recover. Without adequate recovery, there is an increased risk for injury, muscle stiffness, lack of range of motion, and decreased blood circulation during the following practice sessions. Recovery strategies, such as the use of foam rollers and Normatec boots, are commonly used after exercise, and therefore, it can be assumed that such post-exercise recovery strategies are significant in improving the course of recovery between training sessions. Introducing specific recovery sessions and completing human performance testing the next day can assist in analyzing the relationship between physical recovery after heavy practice load and next-day performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the use of compression boots and foam rolling after an athlete’s practice will enhance the next day’s performance in college athletes. Through assessment of athletes who are in-season, we can further understand if these pieces of equipment, after thorough use, will be useful for recovery. In addition to the collection of demographic information, there will be a short survey on subjective feelings of their physical condition after practice, and after the usage of recovery pieces. The next day, participants will visit the Human Performance Lab for physical testing on vertical jump, planking, and flexibility to determine if either of the recovery methods was useful in aiding next-day performance, compared to no specific recovery intervention. A post-survey will be completed on participants’ physical condition the next day, after using the recovery tools. ANOVA will be used to evaluate average jump height, planking soreness, and flexibility measurements. In addition, the average estimation of pain via a pain rating scale will be compared between pre- and post-testing. It is hypothesized that there will be improvement in the next day’s performance, and further hypothesized that pain levels will decrease from the use of recovery pieces. These results will help identify the importance of recovery strategies to reduce soreness and improve next-day athletic performance.