ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

International Angiology 2012 October;31(5):490-3

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Compression stockings have a synergistic effect with walking in the late afternoon to reduce edema of the lower limbs

Ema Quilici Belczak C. ¹, Pereira De Godoy J. M. ^{2, 3}, Quilici Belzack S. ⁴, Andréia De Moraes Silva M. ⁵, Caffaro R. A. ⁶ ✉

¹ School of São Jose do Rio Preto-FAMERP-Brazil, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; ² Department Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery in Medicine School São José do Rio Preto-FAMERP; ³ CNPq (National Council for Research and Development), Brazil; ⁴ Post graduation course in University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil; ⁵ Physician of Service Vascular and Endovascular Surgery in Hospital Santa Marcelina-SP-Brazil; ⁶ School of Santa Casa de São Paulo FCMSCS, São Paulo, Brazil

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an association of elastic stockings and walking for a short period in the late afternoon reduces leg edema.
METHODS: Volume changes of the legs of sixteen patients (32 limbs), who walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes using elastic compression stockings, were analyzed in a quantitative, cross-over randomized (in order of arrival at the clinic) study. They were submitted to volumetry using the water displacement technique and subsequently required to put on 20/30 made-to-measure compression stockings (Sigvaris). The patients walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes and after removing the stockings volumetry of the legs was again performed. Legs were assessed using the CEAP classification and divided into groups. Analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis with an alpha error of 5% being considered acceptable.
RESULTS: When participants walked wearing compression stockings, there was a reduction in leg volume. When the CEAP classification was evaluated, it was noted that there was a statistically significant difference for the CEAP C0, C1 and C2 categories of legs using stockings compared to those that did not use.
CONCLUSION: Compression stockings have a synergistic effect with walking in the late afternoon thus reducing edema of the lower limbs.