Optimized design of women’s graduated compression sports leggings

Abstract

In this study, we optimized design of a series of sports leggings O1/O2/O3 with graded pressures, evaluated a mannequin static, four-subjects static and dynamic dressing pressure, and compared with the commercial L-brand sports leggings L1/L2/L3. The results showed that the optimized design sports leggings had lower dressing pressure at the waist, abdomen, and hip than the commercial sports leggings, in which the dressing pressure of a mannequin static, four-subjects static and dynamic at the pressure-significant hip point P8 were reduced by 2.34–14.02%, 16.26–21.78%, and 5.26–11.88%, respectively. The four circumferential directions P4–7, P9–12, P13–16, and P17–20 from the groin to the ankle showed graded pressure trends, while the pressure of commercial sports leggings fluctuated with no significant pattern. In addition, the blood flow of O1/O2/O3 was higher than that of when naked and L1/L2/L3 in both static and dynamic dressing. The blood flow showed a decreasing trend with time, but O1/O2/O3 still had a relatively large blood flow, especially wearing O1 (76.671 PU, 64.054 PU) had a significant dynamic blood flow in both time stages, which had a positive effect on the promotion of blood circulation of the legs. L1/L2/L3 had lower blood flow in the inner calf P15 than when naked, a condition that may inhibit blood flow in the legs and lead to increased fatigue in the human legs, which is detrimental to physical exercise and human health.