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A short stretch bandage is a compression bandage made from material that stretches only a little, so it is classed as inelastic rather than elastic. This page is for clinic staff, buyers and students who need to tell short-stretch, long-stretch and non-stretch bandages apart, read the pressure vocabulary on product instructions, and see what sizes one real product comes in.
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
What a short stretch bandage is
A short stretch bandage is a strip of stretchable textile wrapped around a leg or arm that has an elongation between 10% and 100%. The 2025 international compression club consensus on terminology sorts bandage materials into three stretch classes: non-stretchable (elongation under 10%), short stretch (10 to 100%) and long stretch (over 100%). It treats short-stretch material as inelastic: it has no elastic fibre and is only slightly stretchable.
Who uses it: short-stretch bandages are compression products handled by clinicians and clinic staff and stocked by the buyers who supply them. Manufacturers state each product’s intended use in its instructions and product pages.
How it works: resting pressure and working pressure
Short-stretch and long-stretch bandages behave differently once on the limb. The consensus document defines resting pressure as the interface pressure at rest in the supine position with complete muscular relaxation, and working pressure as the interface pressure in a standing, immobile position. Pressure peaks are the peaks that occur during muscle activity.
A 2023 case-series paper on post-traumatic hand edema describes the practical difference: a short-stretch bandage has low resting pressure, which makes it well tolerated, but high working pressure with elevated peaks during upright standing, walking and exercise. A long-stretch bandage has a working pressure not much higher than its resting pressure, and a continuously high resting pressure, which makes it less tolerable. That paper is a small case series, so it explains the behaviour of the two classes; it does not show that one performs better than the other.
Short stretch vs long stretch vs non-stretch
| Class | Elongation | Material type | Pressure behaviour described in the sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-stretchable | Under 10% | Inelastic; the consensus gives a zinc paste bandage as an example | Not covered on this page |
| Short stretch | 10% to 100% | Inelastic, slightly stretchable | Low resting pressure; high working pressure with peaks during standing, walking and exercise |
| Long stretch | Over 100% | Elastic; elastic bandages and medical compression stockings are typical examples | Working pressure not much above resting pressure; continuously high resting pressure; static stiffness index under 10 mmHg |
Sources: Phlebology 2025 consensus (PMC12575810) and Santandrea et al. 2023 (PMC10523425), both checked 2026-10-30.
Vocabulary you will meet in product instructions
- Stiffness: the pressure increase per 1 cm increase in limb circumference.
- Static stiffness index: the difference between standing pressure and resting pressure.
- Dynamic stiffness index: the difference between the maximum and minimum interface pressure during activity.
- Bandage vs adjustable wrap vs system: a bandage is a strip wrapped around the limb and can be elastic or inelastic; an adjustable compression wrap is a sleeve of inelastic (non-stretch or short-stretch) material closed with hook-and-loop fasteners; a compression device or system is made when different materials are applied together.
Example sizes and materials
Sizes vary by manufacturer. As one real example, the Hartmann LoPress short-stretch bandage is listed as a 100% cotton bandage with clips, not made with natural rubber latex, and sold non-sterile. Its listed sizes are below. This is an example of how one product is specified, not a recommendation.
| Width x length | Article number |
|---|---|
| 6 cm x 5 m | 42200000 |
| 8 cm x 5 m | 42300000 |
| 10 cm x 5 m | 42400000 |
| 12 cm x 5 m | 42500000 |
| 10 cm x 10 m | 42410000 |
Source: Hartmann USA product page, checked 2026-10-30. The manufacturer lists a box of 12 (6 for the double length). JOBST Comprilan is another short-stretch bandage line (JOBST USA, checked 2026-10-30).
Regulatory placement
In the United States, 21 CFR 880.5075 defines an elastic bandage as a long flat strip or a tube of elasticized material used to support and compress a part of a patient’s body. It is a Class I device, exempt from 510(k) subject to the limits in 21 CFR 880.9. The openFDA classification lists it as “Bandage, Elastic”, product code FQM, regulation number 880.5075 (both checked 2026-10-30). The regulation speaks of “elasticized material”, and the published regulation and classification do not say how FDA classifies inelastic short-stretch bandages, so check the product’s own labelling and instructions for its stated classification.
How to choose
The published terminology gives classification criteria rather than a buying rule. When comparing products, the criteria they support are:
- Stretch class: check whether the product is non-stretch, short-stretch or long-stretch, using the elongation ranges in the table above.
- Bandage or adjustable wrap: a hook-and-loop sleeve of inelastic material is a different product form from a wrapped strip.
- Stated use: manufacturers state the intended use in their instructions and product pages.
- Material and sterility: the example product states its fibre content, latex status and non-sterile supply on its page.
Which product suits a particular person is a clinical decision for the treating clinician, not something this page can settle.
Safe use and handling basics
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and the treating clinician’s direction; this page does not give application steps or pressure targets.
- Read the label for latex status, sterility and any stated contraindications before use.
Common mistakes
- Treating “compression bandage” as one product type. The stretch class changes how pressure behaves at rest and during movement.
- Assuming an elastic bandage and a short-stretch bandage are interchangeable. Elastic bandages are long-stretch materials; short-stretch bandages are inelastic.
- Reading a single case series as proof that one class works better. The paper compares the pressure behaviour of the two classes and does not settle efficacy.
FAQ
What is a short stretch bandage?
A compression bandage of inelastic, slightly stretchable material with an elongation between 10% and 100%, per the 2025 international consensus on compression terminology.
What is the difference between short stretch and long stretch bandages?
Long-stretch bandages stretch more than 100% and are elastic; short-stretch bandages stretch 10 to 100% and are inelastic. Short-stretch bandages have low resting pressure and high working pressure; long-stretch bandages have a working pressure close to resting pressure.
Is a short stretch bandage the same as an elastic bandage?
No. In the consensus terminology, elastic material is long-stretch and short-stretch material is inelastic. For the basics of elastic bandages, see what is an elastic bandage.
What sizes do short stretch bandages come in?
It depends on the manufacturer. The LoPress example above is listed in widths of 6, 8, 10 and 12 cm at 5 m, and 10 cm at 10 m.
Related reading
- What is a bandage
- What is Coban
- Compression stockings: grading and selection
- Wound care supply selection
Browse emergency and trauma supplies at lac.us.
Sources
- Defining terminology of compression therapy: an international compression club consensus document, Phlebology 2025, PMC12575810 (checked 2026-10-30).
- Santandrea et al., Comparison of short-stretch bandage and long-stretch bandage for post-traumatic hand edema, Int J Surg Case Rep 2023, PMC10523425 (checked 2026-10-30).
- 21 CFR 880.5075 Elastic bandage, Cornell LII; openFDA device classification, product code FQM (checked 2026-10-30).
- Hartmann USA, LoPress short-stretch bandage (checked 2026-10-30).
- JOBST USA, compression wraps and bandages (checked 2026-10-30).
