First principle study: parametric investigation of the mechanics of elastic and inelastic textile materials for the determination of compression therapy efficacy

Vascular diseases are among the most common diseases in the world. Whether acute or chronic cases, compression therapy by bandaging is a well-known treatment for the majority of these diseases. In the textile processing of bandages, the influence of material chemistry (e.g. viscosity), the laws of physics (e.g. resiliency), and the medical requirements in the therapy must be taken into account. Furthermore, knowledge of the textile material helps us to understand why bandages do or do not have the desired effect. This paper provides a study of the Dynamic Hysteresis Coefficient (DHC) and lengthening, allowing the examination of compression bandage systems used in phlebology and lymphology using a novel measurement parameter. Compression bandage systems were subjected to a dynamic hysteresis test on a dynamometer, enabling estimation of the DHC and the lengthening (ΔL2) after five consecutive cycles. Evaluation of the findings indicates that the therapeutical stiffness index of the compression bandages can be reliably estimated using this new method. These findings show that inelastic compression bandage systems with elastomers can achieve a sustainable compression therapy over several days. DHC and ΔL2 are proven to be highly reliable parameters for comparing different compression bandage systems.