Inelastic Compression Legging Produces Gradient Compression and Significantly Higher Skin Surface Pressures Compared with an Elastic Compression Stocking

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to (1) investigate compression levels beneath an inelastic legging equipped with a new pressure-adjustment system, (2) compare the inelastic compression levels with those provided by a well-known elastic stocking, and (3) evaluate each support's gradient compression production. Eighteen subjects without venous reflux and 12 patients with previously documented venous reflux received elastic and inelastic compression supports sized for the individual. Skin surface pressures under the elastic (Sigvaris 500, 30–40 mm Hg range, Sigvaris, Inc., Peachtree City, GA) and inelastic (CircAid C3 with Built-in-Pressure System [BPS], CircAid Medical Products, San Diego, CA) supports were measured using a calibrated Tekscan I-Scan device (Tekscan, Inc., Boston, MA). The elastic stocking produced significantly lower skin surface pressures than the inelastic legging. Mean pressures (± standard error) beneath the elastic stocking were 26 ± 2 and 23 ± 1 mm Hg at the ankle and below-knee regions, respectively. Mean pressures (± standard error) beneath the inelastic legging with the BPS were 50 ± 3 and 38 ± 2 mm Hg at the ankle and below-knee regions, respectively. Importantly, our study indicates that only the inelastic legging with the BPS produces significant ankle to knee gradient compression (p = .001).