S.T.R.I.D.E. Professional Guide to Compression Garment Selection for the Lower Extremity

S.T.R.I.D.E helps clinicians make the right garment choice for the right patient to achieve the right outcome

The acronym S.T.R.I.D.E. stands for Shape, Texture, Refill, Issues, Dosage, Etiology and encompasses a body of work concentrating on compression devices, which can be adjusted to counteract the individual signs and symptoms of lower extremity venous disease in an optimal way. S.T.R.I.D.E. ‘simplifies the process by which compression experts make garment selection every day aimed at ensuring patient success’.¹ The effectiveness of compression garments is dependent on the mmHg as well as the properties of the textiles, including elasticity and stiffness. Patient specific characteristics include tissue texture, limb size, location of edema, quality of the edema and patient's functional level, which also have clinical relevance on compression garment selection.

S.T.R.I.D.E., a mnemotechnical value having both clinical presentation and textile characteristics provides an unbiased algorithm for compression garment choices, and demonstrates that successful compression is not just related to dosage alone. The acronym utilizes the compression profile of medical compression stockings and adjustable wraps combined with compression dosage, dosage distribution, stiffness, and other textile characteristics, plus product categories and subcategories. The development of S.T.R.I.D.E. is based on sound science including peer reviewed medical literature, compression science and clinical expertise.