A novel design approach and ergonomic evaluation of Class I compression legging

Purpose The conception of a compression garment that applies a desired interface pressure level has been a great challenge for therapists and compression garment manufacturers even today. The purpose of this study is to develop a new method for designing a compression legging that exerts Class I interface pressure to the lower limb. Design/methodology/approach This research presents a new method for the design of Class I compression garment. It consists of theoretically calculating the circumferences of the Class I compression legging based on the reduction factors. To assess the effectiveness of the method, we used both objective and subjective evaluations. For the objective evaluation, we have developed a measuring device to measure Class I legging interface pressure in different measuring points using a force pressure sensor. Concerning the subjective evaluation, 10 healthy female subjects agreed to take part in this study in order to evaluate the ergonomic comfort when wearing the designed compression legging. Findings Participating subjects delivered their feeling about comfort and motion restriction during the use of the legging. Referring to the volunteers’ answers, the Class I compression legging can be described as comfortable and has a satisfactory fit during wear. Originality/value The important feature of this study was the effectiveness of the new designing method in producing a compression legging that delivers the desired amount of pressure and offers a comfort sensation during wear. The outcome of this research is a new method that could be used to create a variety of compression garments that can apply different pressure levels.