Acute Responses to Forearm Compression of Blood Lactate Accumulation, Heart Rate, Perceived Exertion, and Muscle Pain in Elite Climbers.

To evaluate the immediate responses to forearm compression of blood lactate concentration, heart rate, perceived exertion and local forearm muscle pain during severe climbing in elite climbers. Seven elite climbers (18 ± 2 years; 164 ± 5 cm; 57.8 ± 5.3 kg) performed 3 × 3 climbing bouts with maximal intensity on a distinct 8 m boulder wall (lead grade: 7a-8b) in a single blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over design, wearing either forearm sleeves with compression (verum-compression) or placebo forearm sleeves with no compression (falsum-compression). Each climber's heart rate was recorded during and capillary blood lactate concentration, perceived exertion and forearm muscle pain were assessed directly after climbing. Heart rate ( = 0.45, = 0.12), blood lactate concentrations ( = 0.44, = 0.10), perceived exertion levels ( = 0.51, = 0.08) and pain perception ( = 0.67, = 0.03) were not affected by forearm compression. No condition × time interaction effect (compression × time) occurred for heart rate ( = 0.66, = 0.04), blood lactate concentration ( = 0.70, = 0.02), perceived exertion ( = 0.20, = 0.26) and pain perception ( = 0.62, = 0.04). In elite climbers performing severe climbing bouts, sleeves with forearm compression do not alter blood lactate concentration, heart rate, perceived exertion and local forearm muscle pain.