EVALUATION OF PRESSURE-GRADIENTS AND VARIABILITY FOLLOWING UNNA BOOT APPLICATION

The authors evaluated subbandage pressures generated by a standardized compression bandaging technique. Subbandage pressure was determined f ollowing paste-gauze application to an artificial leg by use of air-fi lled bladders coupled to a pressure transducer. Mean pressures and ank le-to-knee pressure gradients were calculated. The mean variability in pressure at each position was also determined. Mean pressures in torr (+/-SD) along the leg are shown in the table (n=27). [GRAPHICS] Mean knee pressures were significantly-less than those at the ankle on the medial and lateral sides of the leg (P<0.004 and P<0.02, respectively) . Variations in pressure generated by each wrapper over three trials w ere not significant. A three-layered compression bandaging technique w as used to create a moderate pressure gradient from ankle to knee. The effectiveness of compression bandaging does not necessarily depend on the generation of high subbandage pressures.