A pressure profile for elastic stockings.

Special equipment to measure the circumferential compression exerted by an elastic stocking was used to determine the "pressure-girth profiles" of several types of elastic stocking. Once the pressure-girth profile has been determined, the pressure exerted at the ankle, calf, and thigh can be predicted for any size of limb without further pressure measurements. An excellent correlation (r = 0.96) was obtained when this method was compared with another well-established one of measuring the pressures exerted by stockings. The method has several potential applications in quality control during stocking manufacture and, clinically, in determining whether a stocking exerts a graduated pressure on a particular limb.