Davis College - New York

Compression therapy is a cornerstone in the management of upper-body lymphoedema. Compression helps reduce oedema, restore function and improve tissue integrity, contributing to enhanced quality of life and more efficient use of healthcare resources. To achieve this, compression garments must be appropriately designed, selected and applied to meet diverse patient needs. Therapeutic effect is determined by the garment's textile properties, including resting pressure, stiffness and gradient, as well as containment, fatigue and moisture wicking. This article synthesises the evidence for how these properties impact management of lymphoedema in the upper limb, breast and trunk, as well as making recommendations for future research and innovation.

Compression therapy is pivotal to the management of lymphoedema of the upper limb, breast and trunk. Compression can be achieved with a range of garment types and accessories. Distinguishing between these categories is foundational to using the STRIDE algorithm for compression selection, a tool designed to guide healthcare providers in optimising compression therapy for improved patient outcomes. This article outlines the seven garment categories of circular-knit garments, stiffer circular-knit garments, flat-knit garments, adjustable wraps, decongestive wraps, night-time garments and trunk garments, as well as two compression accessories: focal pads and donning/doffing aides. It also discusses how garments within these categories can be distinguished by textile properties, such as pressure, stiffness and containment.

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