THE STRANGE claw-like glove Collingwood's interchange players wore against the Brisbane Lions last weekend was American technology that claims to be "better than steroids" at aiding performance and recovery.
Developed by Stanford University researches, the glove is a vacuum that draws blood to the surface of the palm and circulating water cools it before it's sent back to the heart.
It then rapidly cools the body's core temperature, which significantly reduces fatigue.
Collingwood was able to overcome extremely humid conditions last Saturday night and hold the Lions off at the Gabba, conceding the last seven goals of the game to win by 12 points.
As well as the Magpies, the glove is used by athletes in professional American football (NFL), basketball (NBA), baseball (MLB), ice hockey (NHL) and soccer players in the English Premier League.
Stanford biology researcher Dennis Grahn told the university's website Stanford News the glove was "equal to or substantially better than steroids" because the gains in recovery he saw athletes enjoy were substantial, while any damage to the body due to fatigue was non-existent.
