Measurement of in situ pressure is also called measurement of interface pressure or direct measurement as against standardised dynamometric measurement, presently used in laboratories to express the pressure exerted by medical compression stockings (MCS). It is a measurement of pressure obtained by placing a probe on the skin under the MCS. In practice, although apparently simple, this technique is time-consuming and meticulous which is why so few results are reported in the literature. International recommendations exist. The results are questionable particularly as regards the precise localisation of the site of the basic measurement (b1) which requires the use of ultrasounds together with consideration of the rigidity coefficient of the material. This parameter varies from patient to patient because of the individual variations in the girth along the leg in a dynamic situation which is not measured at the present time. The AA conclude that MCS cannot be qualified by in situ measurements. However, they are very useful in research (eg: in superimposition of MCS) or in the teaching of the correct application of bandages to obtain medical compression.
