Light medical compression stockings reduce symptoms when standing equally well as firm ones

Abstract

SummaryBackground In Germany, therapy with medical compression stockings (MCS) relies almost completely on stockings exerting an ankle pressure of 23-32 mmHg. There is, however, strong evidence that MCS exerting a pressure <20 mmHg are at least as effective offering great advantages in use.Methods We expanded prolonged standing to a stress test. The lower leg volume increase was monitored and, in parallel, the emergence of symptoms. Twenty-four healthy volunteers experienced symptoms in an initial test with bare legs and were therefore asked to take further tests with low (18-21 mmHg, D1) and high pressure (23-32 mmHg, D2) MCS. Leg volume was assessed with the Bodytronic 600 and symptoms with a numeric rating scale (1-10).Results Lower leg volume increased with no MCS to 22 ml after 2 min and to 44 ml after 10 min. D1 reduced the volume increase in the second phase only, by 16 ml (p=0.020), D2 in the first phase already, by 9 ml (p=0.006), and by 22 ml (p<0.001) after 10 min. Symptoms increased continuously to 2.93 scale points. The various symptoms were equally reduced by either stocking.Conclusions Prolonged standing leads to leg volume increase and symptoms. We found neither a cause-and-effect relationship between volume increase and symptoms nor between compression strength or volume increase prevention and symptoms.