Limitation of Movement in the Ankle and Talo-Calcaneonavicular Joints Caused by Compression Bandages

Objective: To investigate whether compression bandages cause a change in mobility, possibly a restriction in the ankle and talo-calcaneonavicular joint. Design: Comparative studies of mobility in the ankle and talo-calcaneonavicular joints using a special, graduated measuring device, both with and without compression bandages. Four different bandage systems with two different compression bandages were used in each case. Setting: University hospital. Subjects: Ten healthy volunteers. Main outcome measures: Ankle joint mobility with and without compression bandages. Results: All bandages greatly restricted mobility in both the ankle and talo-calcaneonavicular joint. The extent of this restriction depended on the bandage systems and material: thick bandages led to worse results than thin products. Conclusions: It must be assumed that long-term therapy with compression bandages may be partly responsible for the finding of ‘arthrogenic congestive syndrome’ (arthropathica ulcerosa). Because previous studies have shown that medical compression stockings cause very little restriction of mobility, patients with chronic venous insufficiency should, in the long term, be treated with compression stockings and not bandages.