Compression means tight-fitting stockings or wraps that improve blood flow in veins. It’s used to reduce swelling and aid healing.
It’s one of the treatments offered at a wound care center, alongside debridement, dressings and several other options. That makes it a treatment in its own right, not a dressing accessory.
Compression is very helpful for ulcers caused by vein problems. For a venous leg ulcer, it is the mainstay of treatment. If compression therapy is part of your treatment, exercise will be good for wound healing. The two work together: movement helps the calf muscle push blood upward, and compression supports the veins while it does.
There’s a clear limit, though. Compression is not suitable in the same way for severe arterial disease, and if the blood flow in the arteries is too low, compression may need to be adjusted or avoided. That is why a blood flow test at the ankle or toes usually comes first.
After an ulcer heals, continuing compression is the most important thing you can do to prevent another one. The stocking or wrap is not a treatment that ends when the wound closes.
Footwear is the most common reason people stop, so here’s a practical point. Your healthcare professional can advise you about the variety of materials that can be used so you can wear your own shoes. A venous leg ulcer needs bandages to heal, but stockings can be used afterward that let you wear your own shoes.