Background: It has been demonstrated that pressotherapy used post-exercise (Po-E) can influence training performance, recovery, and physiological properties. This study examined the effectiveness of pressotherapy on the following parameters. Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to PRISMA guidelines. A literature search of MEDLINE, PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and ClinicalTrials has been completed up to March 2021. Inclusion criteria were: randomized control trials (RCTs) or cross-over studies, mean participant age between 18 and 65 years, ≥1 exercise mechanical pressotherapy intervention. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for RCT (RoB 2.0). Results: 12 studies comprised of 322 participants were selected. The mean sample size was n = 25. Pressotherapy significantly reduced muscle soreness (Standard Mean Difference; SMD = −0.33; CI = −0.49, −0.18; p < 0.0001; I² = 7%). Pressotherapy did not significantly affect jump height (SMD = −0.04; CI = −0.36, −0.29; p = 0.82). Pressotherapy did not significantly affect creatine kinase level 24–96 h after DOMS induction (SMD = 0.41; CI = −0.07, 0.89; p = 0.09; I² = 63%). Conclusions: Only moderate benefits of using pressotherapy as a recovery intervention were observed (mostly for reduced muscle soreness), although, pressotherapy did not significantly influence exercise performance. Results differed between the type of exercise, study population, and applied treatment protocol. Pressotherapy should only be incorporated as an additional component of a more comprehensive recovery strategy. Study PROSPERO registration number—CRD42020189382.

Background: It has been demonstrated that pressotherapy used post-exercise (Po-E) can influence training performance, recovery, and physiological properties. This study examined the effec-tiveness of pressotherapy on these parameters. Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to PRISMA guidelines. A literature search of MEDLINE, PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and ClinicalTrials has been done up to March 2021. Inclusion criteria were: randomized control trials (RCTs) or cross-over studies, mean participant age be-tween 18-65 yrs., ≥ 1 exercise mechanical pressotherapy intervention. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for RCT (RoB 2.0). Results: 12 studies comprised of 322 partici-pants have been selected. The mean sample size was n = 25. Pressotherapy significantly reduce muscle soreness(Standard Mean Difference;SMD= -0.33; CI = -0.49, -0.18; p < 0.0001; I2 = 7%). Pres-sotherapy did not significantly affect jump height (SMD = -0.04; CI =-0.36, -0.29; p = 0.82). Presso-therapy did not significantly affect creatine kinase level 24-96h after DOMS induction (SMD = 0.41; CI = -0.07, 0.89; p = 0.09; I2 = 63%). Conclusions: Only moderate benefits of using pressotherapy as a recovery intervention have been observed. Results varied between the type of exercise and used protocol. Pressotherapy should only be applied as an additional component of a more compre-hensive recovery strategy. Study PROSPERO registration number- CRD42020189382.