Affiliations: Department of Textile Technology, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Bipin Kumar, Research Scholar, Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi 110016, India. Tel.: +91 99 9024 0340; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Objective: To identify and analyze the important factors which could influence the Dynamic Stiffness Index (DSI) of compression bandages. Methods: Using three commercially available bandages with different stiffnesses, their DSI was obtained using a prototype based on an artificial leg-segment model consisting of a wooden mannequin having a variable circumference. The effect on DSI of three major factors, bandage extensibility (ε), resting pressure (RP) and limb circumference (C) was studied. An N-way ANOVA for a fixed model was carried out to test the significance of the above major factors and their interaction effects on bandage DSI. Results: There were significant differences (p<0.05) between the mean DSI observed at different values of ε, RP and C. It was also found that some of the factors, ε and RP, and C and RP, interfere with each other and that their interaction effects also significantly affected the DSI (p<0.05). Conclusion: The above major factors have a deciding influence on the DSI of the compression bandages. Understanding the influence of these factors and the effect of their interactions on the DSI could help in pre-evaluating and comparing dynamic behaviors of different compression bandages during compression management.
