Interface Pressure Measurement in Compression Garments
topic
Interface pressure measurement in compression garments uses thin pneumatic bladder sensors or piezoresistive thin-film transducers placed between the garment and the limb surface at standardised anatomical measurement points to record the static and dynamic pressure exerted by the garment during rest and movement. The Hohenstein leg model and standardised limb models with defined circumference profiles provide reproducible measurement conditions for laboratory testing, enabling comparison of garments across test sites and between manufacturers. Measurement on human subjects captures the effect of individual limb geometry variation and muscle activity during movement on the pressure profile, providing the clinical validation data required for medical device registration of therapeutic compression hosiery.
Role
Interface pressure measurement is the definitive performance test for medical compression hosiery — directly measuring the therapeutic pressure that determines clinical efficacy in venous disease management, and providing the objective pressure classification data required for CE marking and FDA clearance of medical compression devices where incorrect pressure delivery carries clinical risk, making accurate interface pressure measurement the critical quality assurance test in the medical compression textile supply chain.