The effectiveness of wearing two different pressure stockings for night use during sleep on eliminating leg swelling and preventing its recurrence after getting up was examined. In this study, the blood flow rate of nine young female subjects at peripheral parts of extremities during a 60-minute period in a lying position in a climatic chamber and at night while sleeping in their own beds was examined. The results were as follows :

1)　The clothing pressure of each stocking was designed to progressively increase from the thigh to the leg to the ankle, and it matched closely with the pressure indicated on the package.

2)　The reduction of leg swelling during sleep was significantly larger when stockings were worn compared to when no stockings were worn. Sixty minutes after getting up, there was a swelling recurrence equivalent to about half the swelling reduction.

3)　The blood flow rate in the toes after 50 minutes in a supine position did not change when stocking were not worn, but it decreased when stockings were worn, especially in the case of high-pressure stockings. Changing from lying in a supine position to lying in a lateral position caused the blood flow rate to increase in every condition.

4)　The blood flow rate during sleep did not decrease in any condition, with or without stockings. It is believed that this is due to the subjects’ turning over in bed.