What is a pressure garment?
Pressurized clothing is used to execute pressure treatment on the body. Pressure treatment has been used in different indications since the 1950s, the first indication being scar management.
It is easy to get to study pressure theory. Our pages are full of information and sources that can be utilized to find more studies. Research portals are also full of studies on pressure treatment and its different indications.
Pressure treatment, with medical pressure garments, has very little contraindications. It is generally safe to test it for shorter or longer periods of time.
Principles of pressure
The pressure is formed in via the relation of the circumferences of the area that needs to be treated and the garment itself. The pressure is calculated based on Laplace’s Law (a principle of physics that the tension on the wall of a sphere is the product of the pressure times the radius of the chamber and the tension is inversely related to the thickness of the wall). The calculatory pressure might not duplicate itself fully on the living tissue due to the variation of it.The pressure class is used to define the lowest and the highest pressures between which the real pressure will fall. In custom-made products the pressure class can be more specifically defined compared to standard sized products. This also allows the use of a greater pressure level more safely than in standard products. The real pressure provided by the garment can be measured with a pressure monitor when the garment is in use. The levels of real pressure during an extensive period of use can be monitored during control visits with pressure monitors.
The units used in pressure treatment are called mercury millimeters (mmHg). Different Lymed® product groups, both in humans and animals, have either a progressive (compression) or an even pressure. The compression created can be divided to four compression classes (from A to IV). These compression classes are based on the European prestandard ENV 12718/2001.
Lymed Skin™, Interim & Light™, Post-operation™ and Sense™ are built with even pressure as per needed treatment. Lymed Compression™ products are constructed with a progressive compression. The pressure or compression class is chosen based on the injury, diagnose or the area to be treated. In special cases it is possible to have different pressure levels as well as a combination of progressive and even pressure.
Pressure levesEven pressure |
|
| Skin-products | 23 – 30 mmHg |
| Lightened pressure |
16 – 22 mmHg |
| Sense-products | 9 – 30 mmHg |
| Light pressure | 9 – 13 mmHg |
| Medium pressure |
14 – 20 mmHg |
| Strong pressure |
21 – 30 mmHg |
| Interim & Light-products | 10 – 18 mmHg |
| Post-operation-products | 23 – 30 mmHg |
| Well-being-products* | 10 – 18 mmHg |
Compression classes CCLProgressive pressure |
|---|
| Compression ja Sport** -products |
| A 10 – 14 mmHg |
| I 15 – 21 mmHg |
| II 23 – 32 mmHg |
| III 34 – 46 mmHg |
| IV < 49 mmHg |
Theoretical pressure levels
Pressure levels are affected by the size of the product and variation of body tissue.
Pressure levels can be influenced by the choice of size in standard products. The realised pressure varies from patient to patient.
*Lymed Well-being products are made as a combination of even pressure and very light compression.
**Lymed Sport products combine different compression classes.
Guidelines for different compression classes
CCL A – prevention: Persons that have minor lymphatic problems, minimal edema, enlarged veins.
CCL I – mild: Varicose veins, daily swelling ie. lymphoedema, acrosyanosis, post-varicectomy and -sclerotherapy, arthrosis.
CCL II – moderate: Post-thrombotic syndrome, deep venous thrombosis & insufficiency, ulcer treatment, post.trauma treatment, irreversible lymphoedema, lipoedema.
CCL III – strong: Severe edema, chronic hypodermitis, irreversible lymphoedema.
CCL IV – very strong: All the pathologies listed in their most severe form.