Mineral-Infused Clothing for Recovery From Muscle Soreness and Muscle Damage After Exercise

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether wearing mineral-infused clothing helps muscles recover after a hard bout of unaccustomed exercise in healthy adults aged 18 to 45 who have not done lower-body resistance or jump training in the last 6 months. The main question it aims to answer is: does wearing the mineral-infused garment lead to greater recovery of leg muscle strength (maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the knee extensors) 72 hours after exercise, compared with wearing an identical garment without the mineral infusion? Researchers will also compare the two garments for recovery of jump performance, muscle soreness and blood creatine kinase (a marker of muscle damage), and will describe garment comfort and tolerability. Participants will: * Complete electronic consent, an online screening questionnaire and a video screening call * Attend the study site on four consecutive days * On Day 1, complete baseline tests, then perform 100 drop jumps (5 sets of 20) to cause muscle soreness * Wear their allocated garment for at least 16 hours a day (day and overnight) for the following 72 hours and keep a daily wear log * Have strength, jump and soreness tests and a finger-prick blood sample at each visit (24, 48 and 72 hours after exercise)

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 to 45 years inclusive * Body mass index between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m2 inclusive * No participation in structured lower-limb resistance training or plyometric (jump) training within the previous 6 months (structured training: a planned programme of exercise against external load or bodyweight loading targeting the lower limbs, performed at least once per week for 4 or more consecutive weeks) * No history of injury that may impair the ability to perform maximal exercise * Willing to wear the allocated study garment for a minimum of 16 hours per day (approximately 8 hours waking and 8 hours overnight) throughout the 72-hour post-exercise recovery period, and during the muscle-damaging exercise protocol * Willing to maintain habitual diet and physical activity, including usual caffeine intake; to have the last meal and any caffeine at least 2 hours before each testing session; and to abstain from alcohol throughout the trial * Able to attend the study site on four consecutive days * Able to provide written informed consent * Able to read, understand and communicate in English * Currently living in the United Kingdom Exclusion Criteria: * Current use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids or other anti-inflammatory medication * Current use of statins * Use of dietary supplements with known anti-inflammatory or antioxidant activity * Diagnosed muscle, neuromuscular or connective tissue disorders * Bleeding disorders or current use of anticoagulant medication * Known allergy or sensitivity to any material used in the study garment, or a history of textile or contact dermatitis * Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or intention to become pregnant during the study period * Current participation, or participation within 4 weeks of screening, in another interventional clinical trial * Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would compromise participant safety or data integrity * Current use, or use within 4 weeks, of any form of compression garment * Any response to the general health questions in the Screening Questionnaire indicating a contraindication to maximal exercise