Treatment of fixed flexion deformities of the knee in rheumatoid arthritis using the Flowtron intermittent compression stocking.

Thirty established fixed flexion deformities of the knee in 18 rheumatoid arthritis patients were studied prospectively to assess the results of 8 weeks of out-patient treatment using the Flowtron intermittent compression stocking. A 44% mean correction of the fixed flexion deformity was obtained from an initial mean of 29 +/- 1 degrees to 16 +/- 1 degrees (P less than 0.001). More than 85% of this correction was obtained in the first 4 weeks of treatment. There was a significant correlation between the correction obtained and the inflation pressure (P less than 0.05), but the time of daily use (minimum 60 min) was not a significant factor. The modified Stanford Health Assessment Disability Index fell from an initial mean of 2.17 to 2.03 (P less than 0.01).