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Copyright of Journal of the Japan Research Association for Textile End-Uses / Sen'i Seihin Shohi Kagaku is the property of Japan Research Association for Textile End-Uses / Sen'i Seihin Shohi Kagaku and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The apparel market has begun to supply consumers the socks which bring about not only comfortable wearing feelings but also functional effects such as to restrain a swelling of feet. However, there are many products in disregard for health considerations as aimed solely at the swelling of feet. In the present study, we propose a new design of comfortable and warm support socks, so as to prevent the swelling of feet and to keep tiptoes warm without constricting of the circulation of the blood. Subjects participated were 8 healthy female (21.6±1.1 years old). The measurements were taken in the latter half for a high temperature phase of their menstrual periods. We measured the volume of foot and the skin temperature of the toe, when the ankle and the arch were both or separately constricted. Values obtained were compared with those before and after 4 hours upright sitting. Four constrictive conditions were shown as follows: Condition ① perfect-fitting feelings at the ankle in which the clothing pressure was 12.4 ± 4hPa (mean ± SD), Condition ② tight-fitting feelings at the ankle (28.4±5.2hPa), Condition ③ tight fitting feelings at the arch (34.7±6.7hPa), and Condition ④ tight-fitting feelings at the ankle and the arch (29.6±3.8hPa). The volume of distal part to the ankle (Region A) decreased in two conditions (Condition ① and ④) in comparison with control experiment, and the volume of ankle (Region B) decreased significantly in Condition ④. On the other hand, the skin temperature of the toe decreased significantly in Condition ①, ②, and ④, as compared with control before compression. In Condition ④, the volume decreased in Region B, but increased in Region A, and the skin temperature of the toe decreased significantly. It is concluded we should not constrict the ankle till tight-fitting feeling. That is, to keep the toe warm and to reduce the swelling in Region A, we must carefully determine the constrictive degrees such as in the perfect-fitting feeling at the ankle and in the tight-fitting feeling at the arch. At this point, the clothing pressures are calculated 15.2hPa at the ankle and 34.7 ± 7.1hPa at the arch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to obtain some guidelines for designing high elastic knee-socks that will reduce muscle fatigue. Fourteen young women were employed as test subjects. Four samples of high elastic knee-socks with differing tensile property were used. We examined the relation between clothing pressure and the results of an electromyogram (EMG) of subject's legs when walking. The results showed that the socks were effective when the clothing pressure at Tibialis Anterior (TA) was about 1.7 kPa, Gastrocnemius Lateral Head (GLH) at about 1.5kPa, and Gastrocnemius Medial Head (GMH) at about 1.1 kPa. At the Soleus, the socks with less elongation in the warp direction were effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]