COMPRESSION STOCKINGS AND RUBBER FLOOR MATS - DO THEY BENEFIT WORKERSWITH CHRONIC VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY AND A STANDING PROFESSION

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a burden to many workers, especi ally to those with a standing profession. Preventive measures are seld om taken, A quasirandomixed parallel group trial was performed in 114 male workers with CTI and a standing profession. For 3 months, class I I compression stockings or rubber floor mats were used vs controls. Ou tcome measures were diurnal volume changes (leg swelling) and complain ts of the lower legs. With the stockings, a significant decrease in co mplaints was found, as well as a significant decrease in leg swelling, Rubber mats were often not suitable for hygienic and safety reasons. The decrease in complaints in the group using rubber mats was less pro nounced, and leg swelling did not differ from that of the control grou p. Compression stockings appeared to be superior to rubber mats with r egard to applicability, diminishing subjective complaints, and decreas e of diurnal leg swelling.