Segmental differences in daytime changes of leg volume.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to comparatively assess volume changes related to daily occupation of the whole leg (WLv), of the lower leg (LLv) and of the upper leg (ULv) in subject with no venous and lymphatic disorders. METHOD: WLv, LLv, and Ulv were evaluated by water displacement volumetry (WDV) in the morning and in the evening in 20 healthy subjects. RESULTS: In the legs with occupational edema (OE), WLv increased by 7.07%, LLv by 5.25%, and ULv by 9.80%. In legs without clear OE, WLv increased by 2.41%, LLv by 1.35, and ULv by 3.38%. CONCLUSIONS: Surprisingly, the increase of ULv was greater than that of LLv. An evening increase in the leg volume also occurred in legs with no clear OE. In our series, a clinically evident OE was related to an increase of the WLv, LLv, and ULv greater than 5.83%, 8.68%, and 1.88%, respectively.