The use of effective compression has been shown to heal venous leg ulcers1 and prevent their recurrence2 whereas inappropriate compression may lead to skin damage and, in extreme cases, amputation3. It is therefore important to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate compression. Compression is palliative rather than curative, and hence needs to be worn for as long as the patient's venous disease is present: in most cases this means a lifetime. Compression should be applied only after a clinician with appropriate training has excluded the possibility of arterial disease.