Comments on: Phiten is now the official placebo maker for Major League Baseball

By: retief1954

retief1954 — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:36:57 +0000

Baseball is incredibly strenuous, in short bursts. And the bursts come all game. Those guys are world-class athletes who exert tremendous force during plays.

By: Chris K

Chris K — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:12:15 +0000

I’ve had enough of these external performance enhancers ruining the integrity of the game!

By: micklite7

micklite7 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:01:44 +0000

Thats Power Balance, not Phiten, who made those claims

By: ta192

ta192 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:46:46 +0000

Couldn’t agree more. Guess ‘roids never gave a cut to MLB…

By: badmamainphilliesjamas

badmamainphilliesjamas — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:45:12 +0000

That’s next for the Marlins.

By: rollinghighwayblues

rollinghighwayblues — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:40:56 +0000

e.g., people who buy BP hats.

By: sophiethegreatdane

sophiethegreatdane — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:30:58 +0000

There is no shortage of gullible morons in this great land of ours.

By: samu0034

samu0034 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:14:58 +0000

Let’s just assume for a second that they DO work. And further let’s acknowledge that there’s a significant portion of baseball fandom that is utterly opposed to the use of steroids, not so much based on player health, but because the use of them provides an unfair advantage over historical players, thereby cheapening the game as a whole. Why are these compression sleeves okay? Why in God’s name is MLB actually endorsing something like this? This is more or less a Devil’s Advocate argument, as I don’t believe they provide any benefit to a baseball player, but it seems weird to be to vilify one sort of means of improving one’s play while paying the company that manufactures another.

By: clydeserra

clydeserra — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:13:19 +0000

You didn’t read that did you?
1) it says “The people who use them swear by them. The people who study their effectiveness? Not so much.”

so, basically there is no scientific back up to their effectiveness

2) 4 of the 5 benefits are also benefits of pants.

So yeah, snake oil.

By: l0yalr0yal

l0yalr0yal — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:04:23 +0000

I like Jonathan Broxton a lot, but if I saw him in a wetsuit, I would pepper-spray myself.

By: micklite7

micklite7 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:42:54 +0000

You are confusing the titanium products with compression products… I agree about placebo affect with the necklaces… but there is actually science to back the compression sleeves.

By: lapsncaps

lapsncaps — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:31:53 +0000

I have been wearing compression sleeves (well socks) for over 2 years on my calves for marathons and they do work wonders. I always feel great the next day, and haven’t cramped up during a race since using them. Don’t know what benefit they have for baseball, but from my experience they do work, if you are using them properly. But again, in baseball I don’t see the benefit. I see it in sports like soccer and baseball, but not baseball.

By: cggarb

cggarb — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:27:29 +0000

It baffles me that MLB (and others) continue to partner with this operation.

“We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims and therefore we engaged in misleading conduct …”

http://www.wired.com/playbook/2011/01/nba-lawsuit-power-balance/all/1
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/nba/wires/01/04/2080.ap.bkn.balance.bracelets.2nd.ld.writethru.0884/index.html

By: dowhatifeellike

dowhatifeellike — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:24:53 +0000

Might as well put them in wetsuits with the team logo on the front.

By: scatterbrian

scatterbrian — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:20:27 +0000

Why don’t they make the entire uniform out of compression sleeves?!

By: bisonaudit

bisonaudit — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:13:39 +0000

The rose goes in the front, big guy.

By: El Bravo

El Bravo — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:05:18 +0000

Condom makers thought of this a long time ago….

By: dowhatifeellike

dowhatifeellike — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:03:55 +0000

I’m not sold on compression-as-performance-enhancer. I wear compression-type shorts or leggings when I ride my bike, but the primary functions are temperature regulation and aerodynamics. I can ride just as hard and just as long in regular gym shorts (as long as the weather cooperates). I feel like compression negates the “pump” factor of a strenuous workout – muscles swell as more blood is delivered to taxed muscle fiber. Compression inhibits that process. After a long/hard ride, I definitely have more swelling in the exposed part of my quads. This swelling goes away shortly after exercise ends, but it’s an important process. More blood means more energy.

I definitely don’t understand why baseball players would want compression garments under their uniforms. Unless you’re pitching or catching, baseball is not a terribly strenuous activity. Boredom is more common than over-exertion.

Compression for post-exercise recovery is another story entirely. It reduces swelling/inflammation and has other benefits as well.

By: mdpickles

mdpickles — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:01:53 +0000

“and if you have ever worn one while playing sports you would know what they do.” “I wear the calf compression sleeves when I run, and they are nothing short of AMAZING.”

^^^^Well done, a perfect description of “the placebo effect.”

By: micklite7

micklite7 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:55:33 +0000

http://www.active.com/gear/Articles/5-Reasons-to-Wear-Compression-Sleeves-and-Socks.htm

By: redguy12588

redguy12588 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:47:01 +0000

Selling ice to an Eskimo comes to mind here.

By: rollinghighwayblues

rollinghighwayblues — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:46:51 +0000

Viva Chi Chi Rodriguez!

By: micklite7

micklite7 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:42:59 +0000

While there isn’t a whole lot of science backing the titanium necklaces… the opposite can be said for compression products. Phiten has been in business since 1983 though, so all the negativity towards them that pops up when a new product is announced about snake oil vendors and such isn’t going to hurt em. What about all the golfers and such who wore copper bracelets back in the day? Compression sleeves are definitely something else though… and if you have ever worn one while playing sports you would know what they do. Nike also makes a compression sleeve and they are just as popular and the same price. I wear the calf compression sleeves when I run, and they are nothing short of AMAZING. Phiten already makes MLB team necklaces and MLB socks… this year they are coming out with a new compression sleeve that will also have the MLB logo on it, so I’m sure that’s what this press release is about.