title: Interface pressure and stiffness in different combinations of compression material.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the interface pressure and stiffness between various combinations of compression material.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a stiffness-determining device, the interface pressure and stiffness were determined in several combinations of five elastic stockings and two elastic bandages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the double stockings system, the interface pressure increased significantly and the highest stiffness was observed in double short-stretch stockings. When short-stretch bandages were applied over either short- or long-stretch stockings, a significant increase in stiffness was observed at any initial pressure compared with the single use of short-stretch stockings. In double bandage systems, when short-stretch bandages were applied over either short- or long-stretch bandages, the stiffness increased significantly. When long-stretch bandages were used over short-stretch bandages, the stiffness decreased significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The stiffness is changeable according to the combinations of material, such as double stockings, double bandages and the wearing of bandages over stockings. The use of short-stretch bandages as the outside layer produces the highest stiffness at a high initial pressure.
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, Tohkai Hospital, 1-1-1 Chiyodabashi, Nagoya 464-8512, Japan. hiraimh@yahoo.co.jp
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hirai
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Koyama
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Miyazaki
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Iwata
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Kominami
mesh_terms: D058128:Compression Bandages; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011312:Pressure; D053828:Stockings, Compression