Lycra support tights: Are they effective?

Objective: To investigate the effect of two Lycra support panty hose (8 and 12 mmHg) on the development of oedema of the lower legs and on feelings su ch as tiredness, heaviness and burning or pain in the legs. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Department of Dermatology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, Th e Netherlands. Subjects: One hundred and eight healthy women, 20-60 years of age, who had no signs of chronic venous insufficiency on examination (including Doppler ultrasound) and who worked full-time. Main outcome measures: Diurnal lower leg volume changes (DVC) recorded by o pto-electronic volume measurements and questionnaires on subjective feeling s while wearing a control panty hose in comparison with the support panty h ose. Results: The mean DVC with control panty hose was +2.7%. With both types of support panty hose the mean DVC was significantly decreased to 2.3% (p < 0 .001). At inclusion complaints were common (81%). Support panty hose A (8 m mHg) decreased feelings of heaviness and tiredness significantly. No relati on between the reduction in DVC and a decrease in complaints was shown. Sup port panty hose B was often ill-fitting due to an inadequate size-table. Conclusion: Both types of support panty hose reduced the normal diurnal vol ume increase significantly and equally. Further investigations are needed i n order to find the minimum compression for (almost) complete prevention of oedema. The decrease in subjective unpleasant feelings, significant for ti redness and heaviness in the case of panty hose A, was unrelated to a reduc tion in DVC.