The use of pressure change on standing as a surrogate measure of the stiffness of a compression bandage.

OBJECTIVES To measure interface pressure and stiffness of short-stretch and long-stretch bandages applied with variable strength. These parameters have a deciding influence on the efficacy of compression therapy in chronic venous disease. DESIGN Prospective experimental study. MATERIALS AND METHODS Compression bandages constructed of different materials were applied with light, moderate and high pressure. Interface pressure was measured over the medial aspect of leg in 12 healthy individuals. Long-stretch bandages were compared to short-stretch bandages. The difference between standing and supine pressure was used to characterise stiffness. RESULTS In the low pressure range the median pressure of the final bandage in the supine position was between 18 and 30 mmHg for the long-stretch and 25-33.5 mmHg for the short-stretch bandages (p<0.01, Mann-Whitney U-test). The median differences between standing and supine pressure were between 2.0 and 8.5 for the long-stretch and 6.0-10.5 mmHg for the short-stretch material. In the group of moderate pressure the median values in the supine position were in a range 33.0-58.0 mmHg, for long-stretch and 39.0-49.5 mmHg for short-stretch bandages, with an increase after standing of 6.0-7.0 mmHg with long-stretch, and 14.0-21.0 mmHg with short-stretch bandages (p<0.01, Mann-Whitney U-test). The median supine pressure values in the high pressure group were between 52.0 and 67.0 mmHg for long-stretch and 59.5-67.0 mmHg for short-stretch material. The median increase during standing ranged between 8.5 and 14.5 mmHg in the elastic group and 23.0-33.0 in the inelastic group (p<0.01, Mann-Whitney U-test). CONCLUSION A bandage applied with light pressure corresponds to the moderate pressure category of stockings. The difference between the sub-bandage pressure from supine to standing can be used to characterise the stiffness of a bandage.