Medical Compression Garments Market Size, Share

Medical Compression Garments Market Overview

The Medical Compression Garments Market size was valued at USD 2632.2 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 4364.83 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2025 to 2033.

The global medical compression garments market has witnessed significant growth driven by clinical demand and rising awareness about venous diseases and post-surgical care. As of 2024, over 150 million people are estimated to suffer from chronic venous disorders globally.

Compression garments are critical in treating venous insufficiency, lymphedema, and enhancing blood circulation post-surgery. More than 60% of varicose vein treatments now involve the use of compression therapy as a primary recovery method. With over 200,000 orthopedic surgeries performed monthly in the United States alone, the post-operative support provided by compression garments is expanding rapidly. There are over 2,500 product SKUs currently in circulation, with manufacturers expanding product lines to include gradient compression socks, full-body suits, and post-liposuction binders.

Increased focus on wearable medical-grade textiles is also leading to the emergence of smart compression wearables, with around 35 patent filings recorded globally from 2022 to 2024 in this space. In addition, aging populations in Japan, Germany, and Italy, where 30% of the population is above 65 years, are contributing heavily to increased product adoption.

Key Findings

DRIVER: Rising global incidence of venous diseases and increased orthopedic and cosmetic surgeries.

COUNTRY/REGION: United States, with over 40 million users of compression therapy garments annually.

SEGMENT: Compression socks account for over 45% of product usage due to their application in chronic venous insufficiency and preventive care for athletes and the elderly.

Medical Compression Garments Market Trends

The market for medical compression garments is undergoing a transition due to technology integration and customization demands. In 2023, over 68% of compression wear sold in North America included antimicrobial or breathable fabrics. Innovation in graduated compression levels—15-20 mmHg, 20-30 mmHg, and above 30 mmHg—has allowed for targeted treatment based on the severity of conditions, improving efficacy and compliance. Online distribution channels have seen a rise in traction, with e-commerce platforms accounting for 32% of the total compression garment sales in 2023. In Europe, over 1,200 hospitals and rehabilitation centers now stock or prescribe personalized compression garments post-surgery. Moreover, compression leggings are gaining ground not just for clinical but athletic use, especially among users aged 25–45, who accounted for over 25 million units sold in 2023. Furthermore, gender-specific designs now make up more than 55% of all new product launches. The growing demand for post-mastectomy and post-liposuction compression garments also shows strong consumer alignment toward aesthetic recovery products. In Latin America, the market expanded due to a 25% increase in cosmetic procedures from 2022 to 2023. In the Asia-Pacific region, the trend is leaning toward affordable compression solutions, where over 65% of sales in India and Southeast Asia come from low- to mid-grade compression stockings priced under USD 30 per pair. Materials such as nylon-spandex blends and eco-friendly textiles are increasingly being adopted, with 7 out of 10 manufacturers in the EU incorporating recycled yarns in new product lines.

Medical Compression Garments Market Dynamics

The medical compression garments market dynamics are shaped by a combination of rising healthcare needs, advancements in textile technology, and demographic shifts. These dynamics include the major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing product demand and market structure across geographies and applications.

DRIVER

Increasing incidence of venous and lymphatic disorders

Globally, over 190 million people suffer from some form of chronic venous disease, including varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In the U.S. alone, 900,000 cases of DVT are recorded annually, with compression therapy recommended in 80% of those cases. These disorders require medical-grade compression garments to manage swelling and prevent clot progression. Furthermore, post-operative requirements for orthopedic, cosmetic, and cardiovascular surgeries involve the usage of garments to optimize recovery, reduce swelling, and prevent embolism. The growing elderly population, accounting for over 10% of total global inhabitants above the age of 65, increasingly needs such garments for mobility and pain relief.

RESTRAINT

Lack of reimbursement in emerging economies

While developed markets like the U.S., Canada, and Germany offer partial or full reimbursement for compression therapy, less than 10% of compression garments are reimbursed in developing countries such as India, Brazil, and South Africa. This high out-of-pocket expense discourages patients from adopting long-term therapy. Additionally, inconsistent regulatory classification of compression garments—some categorized under medical devices and others as apparel—complicates import and distribution. Furthermore, counterfeit and non-medical grade alternatives are readily available in price-sensitive markets, affecting the sale of certified garments.

OPPORTUNITY

Integration of smart textile technology

The integration of smart textiles and biosensors in compression garments is opening new market opportunities. From 2023 to 2024, 28 pilot studies were launched to test compression wear with pressure-monitoring sensors, temperature regulation, and moisture control. Companies like Medi GmbH and SIGVARIS are investing heavily in wearable R&D, targeting hospital and remote-care applications. Also, telemedicine compatibility is improving with Bluetooth-enabled compression wear used in remote physiotherapy sessions. This convergence of compression therapy and digital health solutions allows better tracking of healing and adherence.

CHALLENGE

Manufacturing complexity and cost of customization

Producing medical-grade compression garments requires precision, certified yarns, and specialized manufacturing techniques such as circular knitting with controlled compression zones. With demand for customized pressure levels (ranging from 10 mmHg to 50 mmHg) and body-specific designs, manufacturers are facing higher lead times and operational costs. There is also a challenge in maintaining consistent compression gradient due to material fatigue or repeated use, impacting therapeutic effectiveness. As a result, 20–25% of returns in the industry are attributed to sizing or fitting issues, increasing logistic costs.

Medical Compression Garments Market Segmentation

The medical compression garments market is segmented based on type and application. This segmentation provides insight into specialized product utilization and end-user adoption patterns across various healthcare scenarios. In 2023, the global market saw approximately 800 million units sold, with hospitals accounting for over 45% of overall purchases, followed by home care usage at 30%.

By Type

Compression Socks: Compression socks remain the dominant product, accounting for more than 350 million units sold in 2023. These socks are widely used for managing chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, and DVT. In North America, compression socks are used by over 22 million elderly individuals, and in Europe, more than 18,000 pharmacies dispense medical-grade compression socks. Athletes also contribute to demand, with over 6 million users across the U.S. and Europe integrating compression socks for recovery and performance enhancement.
Body Garments: Full-body compression garments are used post-surgery, particularly after abdominal, orthopedic, and spinal surgeries. In 2023, approximately 95 million units of body compression garments were sold globally. These are preferred in intensive care units and rehabilitation centers. Germany, France, and Sweden have seen increased adoption in hospital settings, with more than 2,000 surgical centers including full-body garments in recovery kits.
Compression Shorts and Leggings: These garments accounted for around 90 million units in 2023. Compression shorts and leggings are primarily used in sports medicine and by post-natal women. With the expansion of fitness centers and physical therapy clinics, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, demand has surged by 18% year-over-year in the past two years. In China and India, mid-priced compression leggings are distributed across over 12,000 retail outlets.
Post-Surgical Girdles: Used in post-abdominal, bariatric, and aesthetic surgeries, post-surgical girdles recorded over 60 million units sold in 2023. The United States alone performed more than 300,000 liposuction surgeries, and girdles are recommended for post-operative care in nearly 90% of these procedures. Latin America also shows strong adoption, especially in Brazil, which conducts over 100,000 body contouring surgeries annually.
Face & Neck Garments: These specialized garments, used after facial surgeries and trauma cases, accounted for approximately 12 million units in 2023. Though a niche segment, their usage is rising in aesthetic clinics across South Korea and the UAE. With over 1.2 million facelift procedures globally each year, these garments are becoming essential in recovery protocols.
Others: This category includes arm sleeves, gloves, and maternity compression wear, collectively accounting for 65 million units in 2023. The global maternity segment is expanding, with over 140 million live births annually, and an increasing number of expecting mothers using maternity compression belts and hosiery.

By Application

Hospitals & Clinics: Hospitals and clinics constitute the largest application segment, accounting for approximately 48% of the global volume in 2023. More than 25,000 hospitals worldwide stock compression garments for patient use during orthopedic and cosmetic procedures. Clinics specializing in vein therapy and sports injuries are significant contributors.
Nursing Care Centers: Nursing care centers represent about 22% of the demand, especially in North America and Europe. With the rise of chronic lymphedema cases in the elderly—affecting over 30% of residents in long-term care—compression garments are now considered standard care. Facilities in the U.S. use over 2 million compression garments annually.
Home Care: Home care use accounted for 30% of global consumption. Increased direct-to-consumer sales, e-commerce distribution, and telehealth integration are enabling patients to manage post-surgical recovery and chronic disorders from home. Countries like Japan, with over 35 million elderly citizens, show strong trends toward home-based recovery therapy.

Regional Outlook for the Medical Compression Garments Market

The medical compression garments market shows diverse performance across regions, with varying adoption levels depending on healthcare infrastructure, demographic patterns, and clinical practices. The regional outlook of the medical compression garments market reflects diverse patterns of growth and adoption influenced by healthcare infrastructure, demographic profiles, surgical volumes, and reimbursement policies.

North America

North America dominates the market, with the U.S. accounting for over 45 million units sold in 2023. Compression garments are widely adopted in post-operative orthopedic and cosmetic procedures, with over 1 million knee replacements performed annually. Canada has also expanded its outpatient therapy programs, with more than 500 facilities recommending compression garments. Insurance reimbursements in both countries support product affordability.

Europe

Europe holds a substantial share, with more than 120 million units consumed in 2023. Germany leads, with over 30% of hospitals incorporating compression garments in surgery aftercare. France and the U.K. follow, focusing on vascular disorder treatments. The region’s strict medical device classification standards have driven demand for high-quality CE-marked garments. In Italy, over 1.5 million compression socks are sold every year to prevent travel-related thrombosis.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is experiencing rapid growth due to increasing surgeries and awareness of vein health. In 2023, over 100 million units were sold across the region. China saw a 20% rise in post-surgical compression garment sales, driven by the booming cosmetic surgery sector, which performed over 2 million procedures annually. Japan’s geriatric population also boosts demand for garments to assist with daily circulation and mobility.

Middle East & Africa

The Middle East & Africa region is emerging, with over 25 million units sold in 2023. UAE and Saudi Arabia have growing medical tourism sectors, each recording more than 500,000 aesthetic surgeries annually. South Africa leads in Sub-Saharan Africa, with compression garments used in over 65% of post-trauma and orthopedic care cases. However, product availability and affordability remain a challenge in several African countries.

List of Top Medical Compression Garments Companies

3M
Essity
Tytex
Medi GmBH & Co KG
SIGVARIS
Leonisa
Medical Z
Bort
Juzo
DJO Global
Celeste Stein
Surgical Appliance Industries
SWISSLASTIC AG
Solidea
Bauerfeind
Calze GT

SIGVARIS: This Switzerland-based leader produced over 120 million units globally in 2023 and has operations in more than 70 countries. The company offers over 300 unique product variants catering to hospital, sports, and home care applications.

Medi GmbH & Co KG: Headquartered in Germany, Medi manufactured over 95 million units in 2023. It partners with over 10,000 clinics and holds more than 40 active patents in compression technology, particularly targeting vein therapy and sports rehabilitation.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

The medical compression garments market is witnessing increasing investments across R&D, manufacturing scale-up, digital integration, and geographical expansion. In 2023, over USD 600 million was invested globally in the development of smart compression technologies, automation of garment production, and new distribution networks. The trend toward personalized compression therapy is driving manufacturers to adopt 3D body scanning and AI-based fitting tools. For instance, more than 150 clinics in North America implemented digital scanning technologies to provide tailored compression garments. Hospitals and rehabilitation centers are investing in large-scale procurement of compression wear for recovery programs. In the U.S., over 2,500 hospital networks have signed supplier contracts for standardized compression wear for patients undergoing surgeries. This has created a significant business-to-business sales opportunity, prompting suppliers to focus on institutional contracts over retail alone. Emerging economies are also offering substantial investment opportunities. India and Southeast Asia have seen a 40% year-on-year increase in healthcare infrastructure expansion and post-operative care investment, leading to increased demand for affordable compression products. Government health programs are beginning to include compression therapy in recovery packages, especially after cesarean deliveries and orthopedic surgeries, involving over 5 million hospitalizations annually in India alone. In terms of product diversification, sports medicine and preventive health segments are gaining investor interest. Compression leggings and arm sleeves used by athletes have seen a sales increase of 18% in 2023. Investment firms are backing startups focused on activewear that blends medical compression benefits with lifestyle apparel. In Europe, 15 new companies received funding to enter the sports compression garment market, targeting amateur athletes and fitness users.

New Product Development

Product innovation remains central to the evolution of the medical compression garments market. In 2023–2024, manufacturers launched over 110 new product lines, targeting both clinical and consumer applications. Among them, smart compression garments embedded with sensors for real-time pressure monitoring gained rapid traction. For example, Medi GmbH introduced a smart sock capable of transmitting pressure readings every 15 seconds, assisting clinicians in adjusting therapy remotely. The development of eco-friendly compression wear using biodegradable or recycled fabrics has become a defining trend. Essity released a new line of compression stockings made from 70% post-consumer recycled yarn, certified under European sustainability standards. The initiative reduced the carbon footprint by 25% per garment, and these products are already used in over 1,000 European clinics. Gender-specific and condition-specific garments are also gaining momentum. In 2023, over 60% of new SKUs launched by top brands included options tailored for post-mastectomy, cesarean recovery, or bariatric surgery. These products come with enhanced ergonomics, such as adjustable compression zones and multi-layered linings to manage swelling more effectively. Aesthetic and wearable design improvements are also prominent. Solidea launched compression tights with embedded ceramic fibers to enhance blood flow while offering fashionable designs. These products now sell in over 35 countries, with a 30% increase in repeat purchases noted by distributors. Similarly, SIGVARIS introduced compression socks with seamless designs and UV protection, especially for tropical markets like Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Five Recent Developments

SIGVARIS launched smart compression stockings in April 2024, equipped with IoT-enabled sensors to monitor real-time compression levels, temperature, and limb swelling. The pilot was rolled out in 15 hospitals across Germany and Switzerland with over 5,000 patients participating in clinical trials.
Essity announced a $70 million expansion of its compression garment manufacturing facility in France in August 2023. The upgraded facility increases production capacity by 35%, enabling the rollout of new eco-compression lines across Europe and North America.
Bauerfeind partnered with a major sports organization in February 2024 to supply compression sleeves and leggings to over 1,500 athletes for performance recovery and injury prevention during international tournaments.
Juzo unveiled a custom-fit mobile app in September 2023 allowing users to measure their limbs using smartphone cameras. This has resulted in a 25% reduction in product returns and a 40% increase in user satisfaction reported through post-purchase surveys.
Leonisa entered the South Korean market in March 2024, launching a new line of post-liposuction compression girdles. The launch coincided with a 12% rise in aesthetic procedures in the country, capturing over 50,000 units sold within the first three months.

Report Coverage of Medical Compression Garments Market

This report provides detailed and comprehensive coverage of the global medical compression garments market, analyzing market trends, segmentation, geographic performance, and competitive landscape. The report evaluates over 200 unique product types across clinical and consumer categories, detailing their adoption across hospitals, nursing care centers, and home-based recovery programs. The market is driven by rising global prevalence of venous disorders, an increase in surgical procedures, and growing consumer interest in post-operative care. Over 1 billion units of compression garments are estimated to be in circulation globally as of 2024. The report highlights how demand has expanded beyond traditional hospitals to include sports medicine, aesthetics, and eldercare segments. In-depth segmentation analysis covers six major product types and three primary application areas. The report identifies compression socks and post-surgical girdles as dominant segments, with growing penetration in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions. It offers detailed regional insights for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa, highlighting local growth drivers such as aging populations, medical tourism, and health insurance reimbursement structures. Competitive landscape analysis features profiles of 15+ key manufacturers, tracking innovation, production capacity, and strategic moves. SIGVARIS and Medi GmbH are identified as leaders with advanced product portfolios and global reach. The report outlines their recent product launches, factory expansions, and hospital partnerships. Additionally, the report analyzes investment trends, with over 25 M&A deals recorded in the past two years and growing capital inflow in digital compression wear. Investment opportunities are highlighted in wearable technologies, telemedicine integration, and region-specific product designs for aging populations and athletes.