Abstract

Compression is universally used as part of immediate care of athletic injuries, but the pressure exerted has not been quantified. We used a closed system air cell attached to a pressure gauge to measure pressure exerted over the anterior talo-fibular ligament by an elastic wrap, elastric wrap over a horseshoe, Aircast Air-Stirrup Ankle Brace, and Camp Edema II Boot. They were applied by each of four athletic trainers to ankles of four different sizes four times each. There was a significant difference between the pressure exerted by the four devices with the Air-Stirrup Brace exerting the least and the Edema Boot exerting the most. Two athletic trainers applied both the elastic wrap and horseshoe wrap with greater pressure than the other two athletic trainers. There was also a significant difference among pressure applications to the different sized ankles. Variability in application of the four trials by each athletic trainer for each device was evident by the large standard deviations when the trails were averaged, but no consistent pattern was evident. Pressures exerted in this study were great enough to decrease or occlude venous blood flow, raising concern regarding adequate circulation. They were similar to the intermittent pressures, exerted by pneumatic devices, which are believed to decrease edema. Application variability, due to different sized ankles, different devices, and differences within and between athletic trainers, is indicative of a haphazard and potentially harmful approach to compression application. Verf.-Ref.